"Count it joy..."

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   

There are times when you read a verse and it does nothing to you aside from a good fortune cookie line. Then there are times when the verse punches you in the soul. There will be times that you receive the consequences of your actions. Those are coming for you. You deserve it. But there will be times when people (even those you trust) punch you in the soul. And i've realized that some of those are birth out of betrayal and some are birth out of misconceptions. They draw up this picture of you...or take something you kind of said...and just beat the trash out of you (the fake you).

But James encourages us...count it all joy. He's not talking about faking happiness here. He's talking about remembering/thinking through what it means to possess joy. This kind of joy isn't something that shows up and leaves. It's not acquired at an instance. Rather it's more of a foundation on which you stand and weathers any storm. When do we "count it joy?" when you meet trials of various kinds. If you read a bit more into the text...he's actually talking about all these different trials that "fall upon you." These aren't consequences that you created for yourself. These are ones that seem "random" in our life. But here's the thing...if we are God's children...trials aren't random. Actually, God sends them our way not because He hates us...but because He wants to grow us and in the end allow us to taste joy. 

I know some of you believers are going through a difficult journey right now...and you can't seem to find the light at the end of the tunnel. You feel like God has left you and you're stuck trying to survive on your own. I know...it's hard. I'm there right now. Sometimes people (even God's people) are crazy. They act like the "older brother." but i need you remember some things though - regardless of what they do you to, remember the Gospel. Remember that it was for your sins AND their sins that Christ died for. That Jesus went to the cross with all of that junk in mind. Remember your example that you follow. Don't forget that He was unjustly beat to death...mocked... accused of things that didn't make any logical sense...and killed. But don't forget that He prayed for you in John 17. He prayed that you would remember what this whole thing is about. That it's about His Church that would display his manifold wisdom to the world. 

So endure with faithfulness my brothers and sisters. Pray for your enemies (even if they are within your walls). Ask the Holy Spirit to be the one that brings wisdom to his people. Don't let any root of bitterness sprout and destroy. Continue to faithfully teach what is true and never be satisfied with spiritual shallowness. It has been an insanely difficult time for me...but i write this to you saying that i trust Him. I trust that Jesus is better than anything i would have done and that He's better than my circumstances.