Consider it Pure Joy!
I am so grateful for my grocery delivery service, because it saves me time and energy. I'm not as grateful though, that the delivery team often tie knots on the handles of those grocery bags - it takes a great deal of effort on my part to undo them. One day, as I removed yet another difficult knot, I reflected on the fact that there are often situations where I grit my teeth and endure the circumstance (sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently) rather than smile and embrace the challenge.
The thing is ... enduring a hard thing often means waiting until later to enjoy my life. On the other hand, embracing the tough season would mean I get to enjoy life right this moment. Which of these options would be more beneficial for me and my world? It's obvious isn't it?
James, the brother of Jesus tells us what we need to do, as we pursue a life of faith.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds ..." James 1:3
Finding pure joy in trials ... how does that work?
Isn't struggling through them our only option?
How do we find victory when life seems to be a too-hard obstacle course that we navigate in utter darkness?
If it is not a joy-bringing occurrence, why should we rejoice?
How can we rejoice?
One day, I was returning home after a walk when I stopped to breathe in the refreshing, beautiful autumn day! Birds swooped and chattered and glided. A jewelled sun smiled down at me. Blue skies and green branches splashed soothing colours into my world. It was time to whisk out my camera to take a picture of our home. But when I checked the photo later, I was very disappointed. My should-have-been-perfect-picture was far from perfect. A large green wheelie bin placed outside our home (for waste pick up) had spoilt the scene.
It was a reminder then that life is rarely the way I hope it would be. Maybe I simply need to learn to enjoy life in the middle of the mess? Richard Foster, a Christian writer (whose wisdom has blessed me immensely) shares a story of how as a young overworked Uni student he was tired and weighed down. His parents had died, so he was forced to work several jobs to support himself as he studied. God spoke to him one night ... and that changed his perspective. Totally. Nothing had changed, but everything had. God asked him to enjoy his life in the middle of his tough, challenging season. God's presence was enough.
Yes, it's true. God doesn't always change my circumstances, but in the middle of the mess, He changes me.
How do we turn trouble into pure unadulterated joy?
Let's look a bit more at the rest of that verse.
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds ...
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything." James 1:3
I am a writer. I love the process of wielding my editor's pen. The more I edit my own work, the better my writing gets. God's purifying pen over my life does the same. His pruning, refining Hand and the testing of my faith bring me untold riches of the spirit, riches that will last into eternity. If I live for the moment, trials will continue to darken my days. But if I live with a growth mindset, a delayed-gratification mindset, a 'change-me-Lord' mindset, Character, Maturity, and Growth will become mine.
That's what transforms an adverse circumstance
into cause for pure joy.
Are you struggling today? With challenges? Trials? Emotions
that take you on a roller coaster ride? I've been there and done that. I continue
to struggle with the best of them. But ... you and I can do this, my friend! We
can turn what the enemy planned for evil into something wonderful. We can allow
the Holy Spirit to transform the most adverse of circumstances into pure,
untainted joy as we embrace the now and embrace His will and recjoice in its
fruit, well before we receive it.
Would you like a dollop of joy today?
Hold up your ice-cream-cone-of-trials in surrender to Jesus.
He will place a scoop of pure joy on it for you to enjoy forever!
