Consider it Joy

James 1:2

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.

I have to admit that it always troubles me a little when God puts this verse in my path. I secretly think to myself, is God showing me this verse because He's about to bring a trial my way? So, as you can imagine, I tend to avoid it on most occasions.

But God did bring me this verse this morning for me to at least contemplate it. When I close my eyes and visualize what it means to me, I can picture myself literally faced with many trials in front of me, to the left and to the right. I immediately become frightened and despaired as I look around me. But before fear can engulf me, the Lord Jesus Christ steps up beside me and drapes His loving arm across my shoulders. As I feel His presence and gaze into His eyes, a sense of total joy comes over me as my view of the trials ahead of me transforms from the fear that could've overpowered me. With the Lord at my side, I can see the trials as learning experiences that allow me to grow in my faith, strengthen my character, and share my testimony with others. At this, I can only smile and perhaps even laugh outloud with great pleasure knowing that the outcome will prove worthy of the trial it was born out of.

My prayer today is that I would consider it pure joy when faced with the trials the Lord brings my way, to consider each trial as one step closer to pure peace and joy.