Joy in Trials

James 1:2

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds...

 

Many times I have read this verse and thought that I needed to be joyful during a trial, but after thinking about it, I am not so sure. I think understanding this verse hinges on the word count, meaning to consider something, to reckon something, to change my thinking about something, in this case, trials. I am to count them as joy or to consider them cause for joy because of their benefit to my spiritual growth not because they will make me happy in the worldly sense. Since most growth happens in the hard times and not in the easy times, and since my primary goal in life is to please God by being satisfied in Him, then I should desire to grow in His grace and knowledge and should embrace whatever will help me achieve that goal, and in most cases that would be trials. Joy results because I am closer to Him, more intimate with Him, and because what is worldly in me has dimished. When this happens, my mind is focused on the eternal not the temporal. I am counting these slight, momentary afflictions as preparation for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. This eternal weight is my hope, my future, and my focus!

 

In vs. 3-4 it says, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. This is the course of preparing for the eternal weight of glory. I need to stay the course, believe what is true about God, and reject the world's thinking of happiness and pleasure in the here and now. I know that all of this is through God's grace, but His grace can only be functional when my desires are in sync with it. I have to want to be obedient, to be joyful, and to embrace trials when they come. When my mind embraces what it should, then my emotions will follow suit!

 

In Colossians, Paul rejoiced in his sufferings for the sake of the body(1: 24). He was willing to endure anything for the growth of the body of Christ. As fellow believers saw his joy in suffering and supported him in his imprisonment, it emboldened them in their faith and the proclamation of the gospel. Does that mean that the trial wasn't difficult? No, it means Paul's mindset toward the trial was eternal and not temporal And when his mind was set on the eternal truths, his heart and soul were rejoicing beyond belief. He said, Him (Christ in you the hope of glory) we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works in me. (Col 1:28-29)

 

Paul was committed to making the Word of God fully known. He would willingly endure anything so that the gospel could be proclaimed. For to him to live was Christ and to die was gain. Suffering and trials for Paul were an opportunity (not a curse) to show that the surpassing power belonged to God. He knew that to this (suffering) he had been called  if he was to follow in the steps of Jesus. Paul counted everything is this life as loss for the sake of Christ. Here is that word again, counted. His mindset was focused so much on the eternal, that the earthly had lost is importance or significance. His joy and rejoicing had eternal significance,  his joy was not remotely what the world calls joy.

 

Father,

Change my heart so that I might desire to obey unreservedly, that I might count trials as joy, and that I might fully follow in the steps of Jesus not matter hard the trial.

In Jesus name,

Amen