Creator, Father, King #325

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

SO . . .

You’re experiencing a trial in life. Perhaps it’s a significant one. Maybe it has dragged on endlessly. You know James 1:2 says to consider it “all joy.” But you don’t know how to do that. It seems incongruous to be happy about something that causes so much pain. So you’re left wondering . . .

Now what?

What’s It Mean?

First, take heart! God is not a God of contradictions, but a God of order, sovereignty, power, and love! He cares about you and the challenges you’re facing (1 Peter 5:7).

Still, joy in trials sounds so paradoxical, right? But don’t miss the beautiful spiritual truth in James 1:2-4 and other related Scriptures: the joy we can experience in trials comes from knowing that God is sanctifying us to be like Jesus.

A Christian’s joy is not a fleeting happiness, like the pleasure you get when you eat a candy bar or the thrill of a ninety-second roller-coaster ride. No, biblical joy is a deep, abiding peace and satisfaction rooted in the hope of our eternal union with Christ.

Look also at Romans 5:3-5, which bears similarities to James 1:2-4:

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Do you see the marvelous progression of sanctification for all believers? God uses life’s hardships to develop righteous character traits in us—such as endurance, strength of character, and hope—so that we “will be perfect and complete” (James 1:4).

God’s goal for his children is that we would worship him, reflect his image, proclaim his name, and become more like his Son as we prepare for eternity with him. Until that day, he wonderfully uses everything in this life—including trials—to complete our spiritual refining process.

Therefore, we can consider it “all joy” when suffering comes. The trial itself isn’t fun. But we can rejoice that God is lovingly shaping us into his image, all for our good!

Now What?

Are you currently experiencing a trial? Prayer is one of your greatest tools—use it often!

Did You Know?

God never promises to explain why trials happen, but he is “close to the brokenhearted” and “rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18).