"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial..." James 1:12

 

James wrote that we are to "consider it all joy" when troubles come our way. Our human nature balks at that because it crosses natural thinking. To 'consider it all joy' means to lead the way, or for our faith [which produces joy] to go ahead of the circumstances. If joy is linked to this expression, as it says in the Word of God, it means that joy accompanies our belief that God is working something good.

 

How does one stay positive, releasing joy in the midst of the trial? The key word is the next word quoted in this scripture: KNOWING.

 

"Knowing that the testing...produces endurance." [vs. 3]

 

In knowing that the trial, the trouble, the test, produces endurance, we view our circumstance entirely different. We know Him. We know He is our life. We know He is the way. We know He is truth. Therefore, with Him working on our behalf, what else is there to fear or to consider?

 

James addresses our will when he writes: "LET endurance have its perfect result." Stop fighting it. Stop resisting. Simply surrender and allow the test to have its work in maturing us.

 

Why do we allow troubles to overwhelm us? The first reason is our need for wisdom. When the adversity strikes, we commonly turn to our human understanding. Even our best reasoning is not adequate for endurance. We need to see matters from His perspective; and that is impossible without Him releasing His viewpoint in us in the form of wisdom.

 

Secondly, we lack faith. Nothing dilutes faith more than double-mindedness. When adversity strikes, it is common to man to seek his own abilities to resolve the issue, while at the same time we might be asking for God's deliverance. We must decide: in whom do we believe? Ourselves? Or God?

 

James concludes that the man who endures is blessed. Does that mean I have to tie the proverbial knot in the end of the rope until I pass through this adversity? ... Or does it mean that I can simply, as a child, believe that my Father has already delivered me from this adversity?

 

"For once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life." A future crown is promised to the enduring, faith-believing, single-minded believer who trusts that his God has already delivered him at Calvary, 2,000+ years ago.

Now that makes me consider it all joy!