Let’s start with James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” WOW. Pure joy. Not even consider it “kind of like joy,” but think about the issue as PURE joy! Again, I say wow! This is probably the last thing we sense when a trial comes at us… yet, if we are Christians, if we are following Jesus, then this should become our first response. Remember, as we grow in Christ, we react less and less, and begin to respond more and more. Keeping our JOY no matter what is going on, is responding like Jesus would.
Joy is strength to do what we gotta do. It doesn’t mean we like the situations, but rather, that we are choosing to place our trust in Christ. We acknowledge that He is still in charge, still on the Throne, that the circumstance did not take Him by surprise, and because of that truth, we trust that He has already provided a way for us to, not only survive the challenge, but to thrive in spite of it.
Consider it pure joy when we face all kinds of trials, my Friends, that is our choice to make…and the more we make that good choice, the more abundant our lives get. This is what it means to follow Christ. I want that! How about you?
<>< Peace, Diane
