Did you know that Scripture teaches us that our troubles are an opportunity for JOY?
“Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” James 1:2-4 NLB
So many things in Scripture seem upside down to us. In the world we live in we do what we can to avoid trouble. We avoid it, manipulate our way out of it, deny it, or try with all our might to make it “behave”. What would happen if we took our upside down view and turned it right side up by viewing it alongside of the Truth in God’s Word?
To do this would mean that troubles, big and small, are opportunities for something good. The trouble itself is not the good, but the development and growth that can happen as we yield to God in the trouble is tremendous good. Troubles can make us strong in character and ready for anything we face in life. The longer we deny them, the longer we keep from submitting them to God for his intervention and work.
When I think of how much time is wasted in waiting for things in life to “behave” or get better, I am reminded of how quickly life goes by and how brief our time here really is. So, why do we waste the days? the hours? the moments that can be spent in discovery and joyful expectation?
When was the last time that trouble came you way and you looked at it as an opportunity?
When was the last time you faced something hard and thanked God and found joy in what He was going to do in you through the trouble?
I don’t think many of us make it a practice to find joy in our troubles and sorrows. But, it is important that we start practicing the principle found here in James. …counting it, considering it, an opportunity for joy in our faithful God everytime there is a trouble that presents itself.
Perhaps we don’t find joy because we are trained from the time we are young to be on the fast track of achievement. Fixing things in our own way or wisdom seems to be how we work around the hard spots in life. But what IF, everything wasn’t in our life just to be fixed. What if God was trying to FIX us?
It doesn’t have to be big and lofty things, it could just be getting my list crossed off for today. Not that it’s bad to check off the things on my list ( for goodness sake without a list I would be a little lost, as I forget what I really had to do that day!). But, it’s the energy not spent in reflection or prayer about what God is up to in our troubles that has to be addressed.
This year as I sit with the word Joy, I am listening to what God wants to teach me about that three letter word. And, I am quickly learning that it is not what I thought it was. It is something I must learn to journey into, because joy is a fruit of the holy spirit, a by-product of being connected to Jesus and living in the life flow of His Spirit at work within me. So, the journey into joy is the journey of walking as an apprentice to the master. Learning his way, obeying his voice, reflecting on his teachings, and stepping out in my “real” ordinary existence with the directives of what I see my master doing…following him.
Now, I have no trouble finding joy in the fun, yummy things in life. I had great joy when my children were married last year, great joy in celebrating my husband’s retirement, great joy in a girlfriend gathering… and great joy with my favorite meal out. Those are easy bursts of joy. But, what I need to learn as I journey into t joy is not so easy… it’s the count it all joy when life is hard stuff.
So this week I have three things I am going to committ myself to:
1. Thanking God regularly and randomly throughout each day for many different little things that I usually take for granted, as well as for the challenges that present themselves. Starting as soon as I open my eyes, and finishing when I lay down to bed at night.
2. When a challenge presents itself, stopping briefly and asking God to show me “What” it is he is wanting to shape, mature or teach me, as a result of this situation.
3. Reading James chapter 1, each day this week, with no particular agenda, but just to put God’s word in my heart and mind, above and beyond the current Beth Moore bible study I am attending.
I invite you to join me. And, really like hearing from you!
with joy,
Debbie
This reminds me of your wonderful illustration of the jigsaw puzzle analogy you corralate with Romans 8:28. All the pieces of our life, both good and bad, work together for good. And, what is “good”. Verse 29 of Romans 8 gives us that answer, that he is making us into the image of Jesus Christ. The same rings true here. I’m not “joyful” that my son died six years ago by his own hands. That, no matter how hard I look at it, no matter what angle I view it from, it is NOT good. What is good though is the fact that God will take something so painful tragic and perform nothing less than a miracle by bringing something good from it. I think by the fact that my family and I are not bitter toward God, nor hold him responsable for our son’s death is evidence of God’s grace and mercy in our lives. I don’t count my son’s death joyful, (I know that is not what you are saying)but what I do count joyful is that I have Christ to lean on and trust as I grieve, as I live and, thank you Jesus, as I grow through my pain in Christ’s grace, mercy and love. Only we believers in Christ can say “It’s all Good” and it really ring true. Thank you Debbie, your life story has inspired and touched mine in such a profound way. I’ll be coming alongside you in James this week, step by step in the Journey for Joy.