Leap for Joy?

Let’s have a show of hands. How many of us, when we go through tough trials, immediately count it all joy? How many of us delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, and in difficulties? How many of us, when people hate us, when they exclude us and insult us and reject our names as evil, because of Jesus Christ, rejoice in that day and leap for joy? And yet this is what we are told in the Scriptures that we must do. And it is modeled for us, too, in the Bible.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

But this doesn’t mean that we will feel no pain, or that we won’t suffer, or grieve, or that we won’t struggle before God with what has just happened to us. We may have to cry it all out to God first, in our pain, and with tears streaming down our faces, before we are able to undertake what has just been handed to us, and before we are able to consider it a joy to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

Examples for Us

Job had just lost pretty much everything, his possessions, his livelihood, his servants and his children. His first response was to grieve this loss and to call on God and to worship the Lord. Then, and then only was he able to take this attitude: 

“And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’” (Job 1:21 ESV)

Paul, to keep him from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations which God had given to him, was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass him. This, he said, was “to keep me from becoming conceited.” Then, he said, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” Only then was Paul able to accept that thorn in the flesh and to state that he delighted in insults, in persecutions, and in difficulties. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

So, it isn’t that we must immediately respond to our trials with “Yay!” “Yippee!” For we may have to grieve them first, call on God, and/or plead for deliverance from them. But, then we must resolve to accept the sovereignty of God over our lives, and believe that God works all things for good for those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose. 

During these difficult times, we must learn to rejoice in the Lord and to be thankful that we are considered worthy to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus, because God truly does have our best interest at heart, and he has allowed these things to come into our lives for a purpose. So, we need to commit our ways to him and then ask him to teach us what he wants us to learn through our hardships, that we might mature in him, learn patience and compassion, be forgiving, and be conformed to Christ’s likeness.

Steadfast under Trial

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

Instead of trying to escape or run from or resist God in what he is allowing in our lives, we must take our pain and our suffering to him in prayer, lay it down at his feet, and then submit our hearts and lives to him. And we must pray for wisdom and guidance, too, and then do what he says to do. We must forgive our persecutors, and do good to those who do evil to us. We must not get even, for it is God’s to avenge, not ours. But, “good” is not “soft on sin.” “Good” has to do with what is in the best interest of others, i.e. regarding what they truly “need,” not necessarily what they want.

So, remaining steadfast under trial does not mean we merely grit our teeth and endure what has been laid in our laps and that we say and do nothing. No! What it means is that we trust our lives into God’s hands, and then we do what God shows us we must do. 

So, we speak the truth in love, and we put on that armor of God with which to fight off Satan’s evil schemes against us, and we securely fasten into place that belt of truth with which to fight off Satan’s lies. For God may use us to be a voice for the abused or to speak out against all these injustices. We just need to ask him what his plan is for our lives through it all, and then do what he says (Ephesians 6:10-20).

Thank you, Jesus, for how much you love us, and for dying for us, that we might be free from slavery to sin, and that by your stripes we might be healed of our wounded hearts, too.

Believe Him  

An Original Work / July 15, 2013

My heart cries: Lord, won’t You hear me

Seeking You for the answers

To my heartache and questions

I have concerning my life?

Speak, Lord, to me right now.

“Oh, dear one, why don’t you trust Me

With your life’s circumstances?

Give your all on the altar

In submission of your will

To My purpose for you.

“Surrender your life completely

To your Lord and your Savior.

He has all things planned for you

For His glory and honor.

He’ll work all things for good.

“Believe Him. He will fulfill all

Of His promises to you

For your life and your future.

Trust Him. Rest in His love.

He’ll give you peace from above.”

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