Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3 (NIV)
While God does not cause bad things to happen to us, He does use them to prosper us. When we face and overcome trials, we find perseverance, patience, and new ways to view the world. We may have more empathy for others because we experienced a similar hardship. We may have learned that we have an inner strength stronger than we thought possible. God will use the trying times in our lives to push us further toward the person we are meant to be. Trials will make us work out our spiritual muscle and grow stronger in our faith.
Reflect on how trials you have faced in the past have been used to better you as a person. What did you learn about yourself when you came out of the trial? What did you learn about God? How were you changed because of those circumstances?