Will You Count it All Joy?
‘All joy!’
What is this speaking of? A wedding day? When we get good news? When things are going well?
No.
‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers (various) temptations;’
Do we see temptations as a thing of joy?
Why, isn’t that the very opposite of our nature?
Yes but nevertheless we are to count it all joy ‘knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.’
There’s a reason for these hard things and so we can rejoice in them.
We each have temptations in our lives because we live in a fallen, sin filled world. And God allows these temptations to try or test our faith.
Why does a loving God allow this? Because these temptations produces in us patience, our faith is strengthened and God is glorified.
Daily we face temptations. The slow driver when we’re running late. The child that has a toilet accident just as you’re going out of the door. The work colleague with an irritating habit. The unreasonable boss. Adverse weather, pain, suffering and all the little and big things that make our days harder.
But the question is how do we respond?
Do we react with patience and kindness, with the love of Christ?
Or do we react with annoyance, frustration, cross words, complaints or a begrudging attitude?
Put simply, do we respond in our flesh or in the Spirit?
Faith is like a muscle, it needs to be exercised to grow stronger and these temptations are what exercise our faith.
So James continues saying ‘But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing.’
LET patience have her perfect work.
This is something we have the ability to either prevent or allow.
Will we allow patience to have her perfect work in our lives today?
How? By looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher (or perfecter) of our faith, to help us run the race with patience, by the work of the Holy Spirit who is in us as God’s children.
There’s a reason for those hard things today and God’s grace is sufficient to help you get through each one with patience and joy that will glorify His precious, holy name.
.
With love
Sharon
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