Monday, April 1, 2013

Pure Joy


Let this verse from James tumble around in your brain for a moment.  This is a hard teaching.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” James 1:2.

Consider it pure joy when Satan comes and assaults your life or the lives of those you love, consider it pure joy when troubles come shaking your very foundation, and consider it pure joy when success comes and threatens to steal your heart and faith or the heart and faith of those you love.  

Consider it pure joy when ____________.  You fill in the blank.  
Intellectually I get the concept.  Verse 3 gives the reason why “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Yet, as I consider viewing troubles and temptations with joy I find words coming to mind like “yes but” and “this is different”.   I see little joy in troubles and tests when they affect me negatively or restrict what I want.  I am focused on the temptation or trial and how it affects me, either in ways I like or ways I do not.  

Our culture has conditioned us to meet so many expectations that make us good, accepted, responsible, and successful.  You know the list.  Our religions have conditioned us to act, do, and achieve in certain ways that make us good Christians.  I bet you know that list as well.  Our focus in living becomes driven by the expectations of others and we live to please others or ourselves.  We pursue an endless list of futility trying to be happy and trying to meet the expectations placed on us by the world and by our religions.  We pursue what will never bring us joy and peace and we don’t even know it.  We have been duped and deceived.  We question God. We pray for His help, and though sincere often our prayers are misguided only asking Him to bring us what we think will make us happy.  Frankly, as human beings with the gift to choose, we are incredibly stubborn and self-centered.  Our tendency is to choose the Lord when He serves our purposes and when convenient.  We rely on ourselves and rationalize our choices keeping God in the wings.  And we struggle with James 1:2.   

Our Lord has not changed.  He offers incredible joy, great peace, and a wonderful life for those willing to seek Him.  But God will not share us.   He will not settle for anything less than our complete trust and allegiance to Him.  This is a sobering realization.  Viewing trials with joy requires our focus to shift.  Jesus calls us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness”. Reading James in the mindset of putting Christ first, throwing off all caution, trusting Him completely, with no reservations is exciting, liberating, and a cause for joy.  “How?” we ask.  Trials and temptations are avenues to the promise God gives to be there every time and to give us everything we need.   It is a promise, but how do we know it’s real?  Test Him, try Him, call on Him and let Him deliver you.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10.

Scotty Elston
Shallowater
, Texas

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