” My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4-5)
To some, the words of James drop like a lead balloon. “Can he be serious?”, they say; their question loaded with emotional exasperation from what they’ve been through or what they are going through in this moment. Does he really mean to say that we are to rejoice in every trial and through every test or challenge of life?
Yes.
“How can I“, comes the reply. We all have a certain tolerance for circumstances beyond our control but there is a limit to what we can bear. What is your threshold? How much is too much – is so much that it changes your outlook and extinguishes your peace?
The problem of pain impacts us all but it’s really the object of our attention during those times and seasons of life that has the most profound impact in our life and the lives of those around us. Our biblical quote above is taken from a Christian, actually from one of the siblings of Jesus Christ. He did not always believe what his half-brother Jesus said or declared about Himself but one day that changed. His begins his exortation by assigning it to his audience and calls that audience, “my brethren.”
His brethren is a reference not only to people who were but also to those who in these days also are believers in Jesus Christ. Now, the fact is that mankind is born to trouble as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7); in other words there are certain things that afflict believer and non-believer alike: cancer, sudden loss of a loved one or child, (sadly) divorce, loneliness, abandonment of one sort or another, grief in its various forms, economic hardship, layoff etc. But Christians the world over and for two millenia have also faced scorn, hatred, pressure and persecution from family, friends, coworkers, despots, national leaders and other religions just for believing in the name of Jesus and saying so both in word and action. In the midst of such trials of faith James tells believers to rejoice.
One reason for our joy should stem from the fact that every time our faith is put to the test and we patiently endure it our faith is strengthened. Just as a weight lifters strength is increased by adding more weight to the bar and repetitiously straining and lifting the weight, so a Christians faith is strengthened by every trial that does not kill him or her. Another reason for joy in these trials is that the goal of each is to mature us spiritually. Every successful test brings the Christian that much closer to the goal of being like Christ.
So our joy under pressure stems from the two things which our trials produce: endurance and Christian maturity. These are the perfect works of patience. But, when the trial is great, the pressure is high and the time is dragging on and on it helps to have our mind focused on Him who under great trial, anguish and suffering endured the cross and bore its shame (Heb. 12:2) for our souls sake. You see, in my mind, the only way to consider let alone endure any trial or test of faith with an attitude of joy is to focus on Him who went through all of that for us. Jesus is our Savior! Heaven is our home! These trials will come to an end but until then train your mind on a focal point beyond the pain: turn your eyes upon Jesus.
I like the hymn that reminds me of today’s verse: Andre Crouch’s ” Through it all;” part of that songs lyrics are the following words:
“I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
“Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
“Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.”
A good way to end this short study I think…
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