James doesn’t say if trouble comes your way, he say when it does. The point of these verses in Scripture is not to pretend to be happy or pretend things are A-OK when we face pains and struggles.
The point is that we have to have a positive outlook (“consider it an opportunity for great joy”) because of what troubles can produce in our lives. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Oh, how I needed to be reminded of this today! It’s really hard not to hold a pity party, but I will choose to keep persevering!
We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It’s easy to be kind to others who are kind to us, but can we still be kind when others treat us unfairly? God wants to mature us , not keep us from all pain and heartache. Do you want to grow in character, or stay where you are?
Be blessed, and have a good day 🙂