Count It All Joy

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 nothing."

Looking back over my life, the seasons when my faith grew the most weren't the easy ones. It was the season I never would have chosen myself. The seasons are filled with sadness, uncertainty, doubt and most importantly, surrender.  Somehow, those difficult seasons became the places where God did His deepest work. At the time, I was doing everything I could to change my circumstances. I wanted answered prayers and guidance as I walk through what I am going through.

Looking back now, I can see that in those times, He was still working. He was guiding me. My faith in him was being tested, but it grew stronger. These seasons weren't God abandoning me, they were the seasons where He was doing his deepest work. He was using the trials I was facing to transform me. Every unanswered question or prayer became an invitation to trust Him more. Every trial I faced was an opportunity for my faith to grow.

It's often only after we are out of the season that we recognize what God was doing all along.

When James says to "count it all joy," he is telling us to evaluate how we look at and approach the trials we face in life. We are being called to have a new perspective on what we are walking through and to view it from God's perspective. We were never promised an easy life. We are actually told the opposite. We are promised trials and troubles. John 16:33 says, "I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." While we are promised trials, we also have the truth that Jesus has overcome the world and God will never abandon us.

When trials come, we should not be caught off guard or surprised. They are a part of our walk with God. More often than not, trials are not joyful. They are often stressful and disheartening. James isn't telling us to actively look for trials, but we're not told to fake it 'til we make it either. Trials are painful and hard, but we face them for a purpose. Trials offer an opportunity to grow closer to God, strengthen our faith and produce something good in us. This is a reason to "count it all joy." There is a bigger picture than we think, and this, in itself, is a reason to be joyful. James calls us to change our attitude from dread to one of joy, trust and faithfulness.

We often see trials in a negative light and assume we must have done something in the past to deserve them, but that is not true. James does not say "count it joy" when we are going through trials; he says to "count it all joy."

This week, I invite you to slow down and shift your perspective. Instead of immediately asking God, "Why is this happening to me?" or "When will this end?" ask, "God, what are You trying to teach me through this?" James isn't asking us to celebrate the pain we are going through or to pretend it doesn't hurt; he is inviting us to see the bigger picture and recognize that God is working in our hearts to help us trust Him more deeply. When we choose to look at our circumstances through the lens of God's faithfulness, our mindset begins to change. It becomes a habit to "count it all joy." We stop seeing trials as evidence that God has left us and begin seeing them as opportunities for Him to grow our faith.

Quiet Time Questions 💬

• What trial or difficult season am I currently walking through?
• What is my first response when hardship comes? Fear, frustration, self-reliance or trust in God?
• Is there an area of my life where God is inviting me to grow in perseverance, patience or dependence on Him?
• Looking back, can I identify a past trial that God used to strengthen my faith? How does remembering His faithfulness encourage me today?
• What would it look like to intentionally choose joy today?