"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 (NKJV)
It is not easy to find believers who are joyful while going through trials. When we revert to worldly wisdom in our carnal minds, it would appear reasonable not to rejoice in the midst of trials. Indeed, the world has its reasonable test of how a person would respond to trials -- along the downstream drift of nurse it, curse it and rehearse it. We can call this the 'Poor Me' syndrome or 'Victim Mentality', no joy intended.
However, when our mind is renewed by the Word of God, we can face trials squarely with the grace of God and in the knowledge of His unconditional-and-everlasting love for us. Notably, Jesus Christ and Paul did not allow trials to rob them of their joy.
Just as Jesus has completed His race for the joy that was set before Him, we are urged to do the same:"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-3 (NKJV)
Having obtained the gospel through the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12), Paul paints for us a landscape of reasons for his joy, perseverance and hope in Christ in his various writings by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit such as the following verses from Romans 8:
"18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Many Christians would probably fancy a trouble-free life. But that is not in the plan of God! As we are seeing in God's Word, trials or persecutions will produce patience or perseverance and really goes to prove that our faith is genuine -- that we will live by faith anchored in Christ alone and secured in the love of Christ.
Indeed, as Jesus said,
"Blessed are you when men hate you,And when they exclude you,And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,For the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven,For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets." Luke 6:22-23 (NKJV)
Also, consider the following Scripture passages:
"My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." James 5:10-12 (NKJV)
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen[a] you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:7-9 (NKJV)
What shall we say then in the light of this? I would say that while we are in the midst of trials, it would be only a mist in Christ. When we have Christ, we have everything; when we have everything except Christ, we have nothing. I would even venture to echo that apart from Christ, we are nothing.
Let's keep digging into God's Word and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment