"Count it all joy, my brothers,
when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith
produces endurance.
But let endurance have its perfect work,
that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."
The Message puts it this way: "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides."
Joy? A gift? Whatever was James thinking? How can anyone think of troubles in this way?
Only through the work of the Holy Spirit and by the renewing of our minds! God's people are commanded to respond in a way that is the total opposite of the world's response. Anger, fear, depression - these are not options we are to entertain. Rather, we are to be joyful.
Why is that to be our response? Because our trials will produce endurance or patience, which will eventually lead to maturity in Christ!
"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." -- II Peter 1: 5 - 8, ESV
Here, the same Greek word that James used is translated steadfastness. In Greek, it is hoop-om-on-ay', which means cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).
But back to the trials. They are not something to be shied away from, but embraced. They are for our good, used by our gracious heavenly Father to mature us.
So next time you have a week like we've had, be joyful.
"For our present trouble,
which is only for a short time,
is working out for us a much greater weight of glory;"
-- II Cor. 4:17, BBE
