Joy... Can Come In Trials

Well, it’s all very well, and good to wake up one morning, say, “I’m going to be joyful
today.”
It’s a completely different thing to actually successfully live with joy. Fifteen minutes after you’ve finished a beautifully crafted prayer on the subject, you find yourself grumpy at your husband for finishing off the milk, and gloomy because you have nothing to wear, and after all, no one really cares about you, do they?

Over the next couple of days, we're going to look at 3 passages in which joy is more completely unwrapped. I’m hoping to give you a list of 7 ways to actively pursue joy, because when it comes to daily battles, the bigger the arsenal, the better. Let’s start with 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.”

Joy can come in trials. As we saw yesterday, joy is not a product of our circumstances. Joy exists in spite of our circumstances. Trials are brought into our lives to develop maturity, to make us more like Christ.

I have no idea what you are facing: lost job, exhaustion, physical difficulties, a spiritual drought, death, a feeling of helplessness... I don't know. And I can't understand what you are suffering or the pain which you are encountering. Your cloud may be very, very black.

But here's what I do know. You are in that cloud because it is good. Not candy canes and roses good, but conforming into Christ's likeness good. Romans teaches us "that for those who love God all things work together for good... he also predestined [them] to be conformed to the image of his Son." "Good" does not equal pleasure. "Good" equals changing us to be like Christ.

The grace with which you accept a trial is directly tied to how great your desire is to conform to Christ’s likeness.

Rejoicing through a trial develops "steadfastness." Steadfastness is not to be discounted… you learned things about Christ in your first trial as a Christian, which you now take for granted. You cannot buy lessons and growth. Your trials teach you things about Christ, your God, which you could not, and would not learn any other way. Continued steadfastness results in a faithful, consistent, growing life…and you will be perfect, and not lacking anything. (In heaven!)

Okay, so joy’s not dependent on circumstances, and these trials are useful in conforming us to Christ. Christ our Savior was also tested and Hebrew tells us this "perfected" our already perfect Savior. If Christ, the spotless lamb of God had to suffer, who am I to say that I don't need the same lessons?