1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. 3 For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:1-4 (ESV)
When most of us meet trials in our life, our first reaction probably isn’t joy. More likely our reaction is along the lines of sadness, misery, and pity-parties. But as Christians, we know “that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28 ESV). If we truly believe this, choosing to have joy makes sense. We know that the trial we are facing has good in it. We might not see the good for days, weeks, months, or years, but there is a divine plan in place. When we choose to “count it all joy” we learn from our trials and experiences. Often the learning and growth that comes from our trials we can share with others down the road to the glory of God. So, the next time you meet a trial in your life (and we all will), focus on the big picture, and be joyful that God is at work in your life.
by Keri
Your blog attached to mine, so thought I would check it out.
I always find it interesting how God imparts the same simple truths to His children. Some of your thoughts are the same as what I had shared on my blog site.
http://hearts4him.wordpress.com/
Check it out.
Blessings from Coquitlam, BC