James continues to encourage his readers in this passage by saying, “…Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him…” This is a wonderful promise that sounds like the Beatitudes of our Lord (Matthew 5:3-10).
Because of the way that God uses trials to mature us in the faith and bring us closer to our goal of being like Christ, we should persevere in the will of God joyfully. And when we do, James says we will obtain happiness because of the promise of the “crown of life” — or eternal life in all of its fullest potential both in the present and in the future (1 Cor. 2:9; Rev. 2:10). And we remain steadfast as evidence that we are among “those who love Him” — because it is only when we truly love God more than ourselves or anyone or anything else, that we can persevere under trial. This love by the way, does not find its source in us, but comes from God through the Holy Spirit who resides in us (Romans 5:5).