All joy: Part 1

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials..."--James 1:2.  James telling us word for word to consider it all joy when we encounter trials.  The reasons are given in James 1:3-4 and we will look at those in the next two devo's.  But when it comes to trials, James tells us to consider it all joy.

All joy.  This is a passage that to this day I continue to wrestle with.  When one reads this passage, this passage begs the question why? Why should we consider it all joy when it comes to trials?

All joy.  We will look at the reasons more in depth on my Monday night devo but for now consider a few reasons we should consider trials as a joyful occasion.

All joy.  While trials are by no means fun or easy, we should consider trials all joy because know that at the end of them we come out a better and stronger person and more importantly a better and stronger Christian because we trusted in God the whole way through.

All joy.  We have an innate instinct to fight back when we face adversity in trials.  There is a certain joy we get out of coming out victorious on the other side of said trials.

All joy.  Whether or not the trial ends in our favor, the Christian can walk away from the trial satisfied because we know we trusted God the whole way through. I have had several experiences like this where sometimes the trial I was going through ended in my favor and other times it did not but I came out happy and satisfied because I knew I trusted God the whole way through.  Furthermore, I can happily say that I have had more trials end in my favor than those that have not.

All joy.  Finally consider it all joy because no matter what we go through in this life, the eternal reward for those of us that are in Christ makes everything we ever went through worth it because we endured.

No practical application here except to realize that no matter what the circumstances, it is in our best interests to serve God even in the middle of trials and if we are unsure how to do it, James 1:5 tells us that if we ask God for wisdom, He will give it to us generously.

CONSIDER IT ALL JOY! PRAY ABOUT IT! LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS!