JAMES 1:2-4 – Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 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.”
Doesn’t today’s nugget theme seem a little strange? I mean trials and joy appear at odds with each other. At least, humanly speaking. We are not quick to associate difficulties with happiness and trials with joy. Yet, God places them in an inseparable marriage. We also encounter this paradox in the opening of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount with the first two Beatitudes – Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:1-4). The word blessed means “happy” and we could read our Lord’s words as “Happy are the poor in spirit” and “Happy are those who mourn.” Sure sounds like a huge contradiction, doesn’t it? Yet this is the way of the Lord, and truly trials are the pathway to joy. Let’s consider two of those pathways to joy.
The first pathway to joy is the realization that trials affirm our adoption in God’s family. For sure, all people go through difficulties in life. That is the reality of being sinful and living in a world temporarily under the rule of Satan, the god of this world. But trials are different for Christians. They have a purpose. Take for instance today’s scripture. God uses trials in His children to build within them spiritual character, or Christ-like characteristics. When we face trials, the correct spiritual response is joy or rejoicing because they give evidence of God being our Father and working the wonders of His grace in us through trials.
A second pathway to joy through trials is the experience of greater fellowship with the Lord. There are depths of spiritual intimacy with our God that may only be reached through trials, and intense ones at that. The Apostle Peter gives us a glimpse of this spiritual truth – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9). Pay attention to the response of these suffering believers. They rejoiced with a deeper love for Jesus that would not occur without trials. Now don’t try to figure out the inseparableness of trials, love, and joy. Just do what they did – rejoice in trials and enjoy the Lord more.
Trials and joy. Doesn’t sound right nor does it feel right, but it is right. God declares it so and as we see trials as He does, we will know deeper joy in our walks with Him.
PRAYER: “Lord, forgive me when I complain about trials and difficulties in my life.”
QUOTE: “Nothing just happens in the Christian life. All comes in love from our Heavenly Father.”