Be joyful … even while in pain.  James 1.2-4

I memorized the following verses from the Living Bible when I was 11 years old:  “From James, a servant of God to Jewish Christians scattered abroad, Greetings! Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow and don't try to squirm out of your problems, for when your patience is finally in full bloom, you will be ready for anything--strong in character, full and complete."  What--be joyful? Be happy? When you are going through trials? It isn't logical.

Character is defined as 'the combination of qualities or features that distinguish one person from another--their moral or ethical strength'. The Greek word James uses here for character indicates that it is developed over time, through testing.  James barely says 'hello' to his first century Christian converts, and he launches into the whole subject of trials . . . we have to stop and ask ourselves 'why?' 'No pleasantries, no 'glad handing,’ just, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”

To start, we must recognize that James' readership was scattered/widely dispersed.  Many had left Jerusalem after attending Pentecost to return home--irrevocably changed by their embracing of Christianity. Some had left Palestine by force, some by choice . . . but mostly because of persecution.  Most of us do not know what it means to be denied a job or groceries or housing because of our faith—these folks did.  Most of us will not know what it is to be spurned by our families because of embracing another faith, while these Jewish-Christian converts were ‘dead’ to their Jewish families.

So James endeavors to encourage his readers by telling them that their trials will produce patience and endurance.  No, trials do not come our way because God has an ornery streak, nor does God cause them; I believe they are mostly a condition of living in a fallen world.  That said, God uses them for our growth ~ in our faith, in our character. I don't think there is any disagreement that our times of greatest growth have come in times of greatest testing.

We need to ask ourselves, even as we are going through a tremendous challenge, what possible good might we take from it?

James says to be joyful and JOY really is possible when we know we will be stronger as a result of what we are experiencing.

What is your reaction when a trial is pressing in around you? Are you stressed? Irritable? Worried? What do you do? To whom do you run? Trials are opportunities for us to run to God, my friends. Putting our faith in God during times of great testing creates in us an active steadfastness, staying power, constancy, and a strength in our determination.

So, when life throws you a curveball--which it does and it will--stop and surrender your situation to God, (He is big enough!) . . . turn to God and ask him for his grace and mercy.  Say like the psalmist, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”  (Psalm 27.1)  “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  (Psalm 27.14) 

Ask God to help you see joy, to feel the joy—the joy that he has in mind because of what he is producing in you through your circumstances—even now.  Be joyful. 

 Grace and peace to you today. . .

Christine