“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.”
This is a command not a
suggestion. It does not say “try” to
consider it joy…it says to do it.
That seems counterintuitive. Joy is the last thing that naturally comes to
mind when things go wrong - and yet there it is in black and white…” consider
it pure joy.”
I suppose God knew this would
confuse us because He explains in the next verse that the result of struggling
is perseverance. It makes you stronger and braver. Once you have endured something you do not
fear it anymore…That is called Spiritual maturity.
We are not supposed to relish trouble.
But this passage says that it will come, and when it does, we should view it as
spiritual weightlifting. We should
understand that overcoming problems builds spiritual muscle.
I have never been one of those guys
who enjoyed the weight room…but I appreciated the results. Working out made me
more effective on the field and allowed me to avoid injury. And while it was at
times exhausting, there was a sort of joy that came from knowing you were
improving.
Spiritually, that is what trials do.
God is instructing us that when we go through rough waters, we are to
appreciate the results of the struggle, and avoid self-pity by focusing on the
growth. We must realize that the fight is making us better.
Our “instant gratification culture” does
not produce or appreciate patience and endurance, but they are game
changers. Endurance is most often the
difference between failure and success. You never truly fail until you stop
trying – so endurance breeds accomplishment.
Each time you fall down and then get
back up - you are encouraged, and your enemies are disheartened …So get up one
more time. Make note of what you have learned - and try again.
Like most people, I would love to
stay on the mountain top…but nothing grows up there. Periodically we must travel through the valley
to allow things to flourish.
"Character cannot be developed
in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul
be strengthened..."
- Helen Keller
- Helen Keller
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