Count it Joy

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

James 1:2

James is one of the most quoted books of the Bible and considered to be the proverbs of the New Testament. It is filled with wisdom for the believer and that second verse just jumps you right into the deep end.

Count it joy when I am in a trial? That seems so counterintuitive. When I’m in the midst of a trial my feelings are anything but joy. I want to be free of the trial not weighted down by the sadness, anger, hurt, or whatever of that trial. But yet… when I pause and find the joy, then I see the rest of what James says.

In that trial, as I choose joy, I know it is an opportunity for me strength my faith – to become steadfast and move closer to becoming perfect, complete, and lacking nothing. {verse 3-4). Much like the muscles in my body that grow stronger and more able to do things as I work them out, so will my faith as I walk through a trial.

I learn in that trial to seek God. I call on his name more and more. I ask for wisdom knowing he will give it to me generously (vs. 5). I can rest knowing that he is going to be with me in the trial and in it what he wants for me is to shine his light, point people to Christ, and have confidence that he is going to work out whatever it is for his glory.

Trials come with our walk with Christ. It is not avoidable. As we consider it joy, we can feel the peace of knowing that our walk with Him is getting stronger. We become unwavering knowing that He is with us in the low times – if not even more so – holding us up and giving us the wisdom we ask for as we are tested. Some trials will be short, but others may stay with us for a lifetime. Either way have find comfort knowing that it is making your faith stronger and you to become more like the one who created you.