First, James (in his letter) dives right into exhorting his readers to do something: to count their trials as joy. However, before we can discover what James is saying by this, I think it is beneficial to discover what he is not saying:
James does not say that joy is the only response to trials. He is not suggesting that Christians facing trials will never have any other response to them but joy. Christians have many different responses to trials—perhaps anger at God, shaking their fists at Him, begging to know: “Why did You let this happen?” Sadness is often a response to the trials Christians face. Exhaustion perhaps because of so many trials faced at one time. The response I have had so often to trials is just desiring to escape—I just wanted to get out. But James says that the response we are to have towards our trials is joy—we are to count them as joy.
Further, James is not ordering all-encompassing joyful emotion during severe trials; nor is he demanding that his readers must enjoy their trials, or that trials are joy.What he is saying is that trials should be an occasion for genuine rejoicing because we know that they produce perseverance in us (vv. 3-4).
Joy isn’t the only response guys, but it is the biblical response and you had better regard your trials as joy if you are to reap the full benefits. Joy is different than happiness. Joy depends on your relationship with God—while happiness depends on your circumstances. Happiness comes and goes, but joy remains. We are to have this “joy outlook,” on our trials.
Have you ever looked through a pair of 3D glasses? It’s alters your perspective. When you watch a movie, you see what seems to be real objects and real things happening to you in a theater.
We need to put our biblical glasses on and view our trials through the lens of joy.
Bro. Brandon
From Having Coffee With Your Trials by Brandon Bramlett: Listen to the full message here
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