Ask any Tour golfer if hardship is inevitable, and you’ll get a resounding, “No kidding.”

Whether it is bad bounces on the golf course, injuries, financial pressures, or even the pressing demands to play more tournaments at the expense of the family, touring pros face hardships of many kinds.

As I search the Scriptures, I see that God knows we will have to face hardships, but God also knows that through hardship we benefit from His all-mighty power and sovereignty.

Do we have a choice of response when hardship hits, or are we destined to be controlled by the circumstances? Can God play a part in our response? Hardship is inevitable, but misery is optional in golf and in life. The Word of God gives us hope that we are not to be controlled by the circumstances, but rather we have a choice of response.

James knew hardship. Yet he also knew that the first response to hardship is to view it joyfully—as something good.

Consider the message of the Word of God, which says that we are to view difficulties with a joyful and thankful heart since they reap something far greater in the end.

We have hope that our trouble will result in God’s good. Therefore, hardship is inevitable, but misery is optional.