Consider it Great Joy

“Consider it great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:2-3

Every time I start to read James these two verse stop me in my tracks.  I will re-read them several times amazed at what I am reading.  Because my first thought is always James must be crazy!  How can he say this especially knowing that James was the leader in the Jerusalem church. He had experienced and had personally witnessed terrible persecution and yet he says it was able to say what he experienced brought him “great joy”.  How and why would he say that?    

As I reflect on this thought its impossible not to take inventory of my own life.  I have experienced pain and sorrow, not near the scale of James, but I have seen my friends and family suffer pain and loss.  I know in the midst of the “moment” the last thing I want to do is rejoice!  I think to understand James we have to take a step back and try to see from his perceptive.  He says the reason we should rejoice is because the testing of our faith produces endurance.  Wait, he said testing?  Does this mean God knew about this?  Does this mean God allowed suffering?  Why would a loving and just God allow me to experience suffering?  There has to be a reason, right? 

James continues his thought and says suffering produces endurance and he continues in verse 4…”But endurance must do its compete work, so that you be mature and complete, lacking in nothing”.  James is not looking at the moment but he is looking at the result of the moment.  He is seeing through the immediate pain and uncertainty to the other side of the event and how it will change us.  How difficult times give us strength and matures our faith, makes us complete and lack nothing.  In other words in the future when we face similar or God forbid greater suffering we can stand under its pressure knowing we have been here before.  God got us through it once He will get us through it again.  I can know that, with certainty.

Here is the reality we all face, suffering is a part of the fallen and broken world we live in.  Sin is the issue, the result of sin is suffering and death.  The beautiful thing is God did something about it and one day he will put an end to pain and suffering forever.  He sent is Son into the world  to suffered.  He didn’t have it easy, he suffered all the way to the cross and carried its shame.  He was hung on a cross, a place for thieves and murders.  He was placed there by the very people he came to save—He used their sin for good.   Nothing is wasted in the economy of God.  He uses ever hurt, every event to build and strengthen our in faith in Him.  In this quest He is relentless, and this gives me “Great Joy”.  I am never forsaken, never forgotten, even in the darkest moments He walks with me, He talks with me along the narrow way.  He imparts his salvation to me and I can know this, He lives, He lives, He lives in my heart and I can face any situation with confidence and surety, knowing my faith is in Him.

-ps