Count it all Joy!

Have you ever had something you   were really looking forward to and then at the last minute you had something come up, and you missed whatever you were looking forward to? At times like these, isn’t it so easy to just pout, and not feel any joy? I know it feels dreadful. Don’t you just want joy in these times? 

Did you know that God want’s you to have joy in these times too? Sure He does! Just look at James 1:2. In this passage James, the writer, is telling us to consider everything a great joy. It’s much easier said than done though. 

1 Peter 1:6-7

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  

According to the verse you just read, it talks about how we need to have joy all the time -even in suffering and pain. It says that trials actually prove how real your Faith is. Then, the verse goes on to talk about how your Faith is more valuable than anything. In fact, one day faith turns into sight. Then, glory praise, and honor will flow! 

To illustrate joy in trials, I want to tell you about Job. Job is a character in the Bible who suffered so much. At first Job was very wealthy. He owned many sheep, camels, oxen, and had a few children. In Job chapter one, we get a glimpse about what is going on in Heaven. In Heaven, satan tells God that Job only loves Him because God has blessed him so much.

So, satan decides to tempt Job. 

Then, trouble after trouble starts coming, and it comes quickly. It even uses the dialogue “while this man was still speaking”. In Job one, all Job’s animals and children died. How sad! It than says that Job fell on his feet and wept. But the amazing thing is what Job says after he learns all this bad news. 

Job 1:20

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,    and naked I will depart.[a]The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Don’t you just love Job’s reaction? He just lost so much, including his very own family, and now he is praising the Lord! Here’s what I want us to learn from this story: When we worship God in trials, we can joy in Him and what He has done for us. We can remind ourselves that He is in control of our situations. 

In James one, we also learn that from trials, we gain endurance. In fact, we will gain strength from our trials. If during hard times, we cling to God, He helps us out a lot. When we face trials, God shows us how great He is. Think back to the beginning of today’s session. Remember how I talked about hard times, like missing something you were looking forward to? I actually had something like this happen to me. You see, I was looking forward to a race, and getting together with some family. Then I got sick with pneumonia for an entire month. This month was hard, and I wish I could’ve changed so much about it, but my Faith was strengthened after this happened. 

After this happened, I knew God had healed me. I think He wanted me to miss out on things to show me I was missing out on Him! In the pain of being alone, and missing out on things, I got to be with Him more as I prayed. Girls, I want you to know that God always has a reason for hard things. He may want you to get closer to Him, or He may want to teach you a lesson! 

Think on a time you had something hard come up. Think, did you learn from it? Where do you look back and say “God did that for me”? 

Well, you might not be in a trial right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t live with extreme joy in Christ! Instead of pouting or getting angry when the hard things come up, I want to encourage you to live in Joy. Not earthly or temporary joy, but eternal joy. The joy you get from knowing Jesus. The joy you get from knowing your pain will be gone one day when you get to live with Jesus. The joy that makes you want to spend more time with Jesus. That’s the joy I’m talking about! 

Read Galatians 5:22. What are the fruits of the Spirit listed in this verse?

One of the fruits of the Spirit is Joy! When we are dead to sin and alive in Jesus, we experience joy. That joy isn’t just temporary, but it lasts for all eternity! 

Write a prayer thanking God for the Joy He provides!