Joy doesn’t have to be a mere by-product of our circumstances. It is possible to experience joy in the midst of the worst of moments. In fact, our faith in Christ allows us to do just that.
If we allowed our level of joy to be dependent on current situations, our emotions would be as mercurial as Disney World’s Space Mountain. For the Christian, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, God calls us to a consistency of joy that marks us as Christ followers.
For many years, I didn’t understand the rationale behind James’ encouragement to count trials as harbingers of joy. I tried to reason my way out of his instructions. Maybe he meant I could be joyful in spite of the trial, not because of it. Surely God doesn’t expect me to be happy about the painful times in my life.
That’s not what James 1:2 says, however: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (italics mine).
My big clue about the Bible’s emphasis on the consistency of joy is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, which says, “Always be joyful” (NLT). There’s that little word always. Always means always. No exceptions.
James gives the reason for consistency in verse 3: “…because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” That’s my key. I look past the unpleasantness to find joy in what the tough times produce. I carve out a life of joy by how I perceive the rocks in my path. Do I see them as obstacles, potential dangers, or threats to what is already a temporal life? Or do I view them as building blocks and stepping stones to my spiritual maturity?
For that matter, how close am I standing to those difficulties?
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