That is Heartless!
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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2)
“That’s just heartless!” Sometimes that’s what I think when I read the Bible, especially the book of James. Right from the very first chapter, almost the first verse, James is ruthless: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”
Find joy in the face of trials, and not just joy, but pure joy? It sounds absurd. The word for trials here can mean temptation or testing. And don’t you just love the descriptor “of many kinds” after the word “trials”? Yeah, me neither.
James doesn’t stop. Near the end of his rampage, he states, “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.” James sounds a lot like his big brother Jesus in Matthew 5:10. He goes on to remind us about Job’s perseverance, and about God’s “compassion and mercy.”
James isn’t the only one who is unshakably positive when things are hard. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, tells us to “rejoice always, pray continually [and] give thanks in all circumstances.”
These guys are setting the bar high! When things are rough, shouldn’t I be entitled to sulk? I view these passages with pessimism when I’m enduring trials and doing so without a biblical mindset, without a godly worldview. If I’m walking as a true disciple, these passages make more sense. I start to think, “Oh ya. I do live in a fallen world (humanity’s fault, not God’s). And I do serve a good God (a perfectly suitable cause to rejoice). And amidst this pain, He loves me and has a plan for my life (undeserved).”
That’s when I start thinking more like a Hebrews 10:36 man. I need to persevere so that when I have done the will of God, I will receive what He has promised.
God isn’t heartless. He’s the opposite. And though trials will come and we will suffer, we must stand firm, persevere, and keep the faith. Praise God for the millions of men that already persevering. We ask God and seek to build up another generation of spiritually strong men who are willing to stand under the rain and praise God in the storms, at any cost.
God, Don’t let me forget that You are always good. No matter what. Amen.
Question: How do you focus on God’s goodness when things get really bad?
Thanks for sharing such inspiratoin Clayton. I am reminded of another verse in Romans 8 where God promises us that He always works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his incredible plan. Bad things happening is the reality of living in a fallen world. However, we can have full assurance that God intevene in all circumstances and bring good out of even the most difficult situations. Despite many challenges I have faced, I daily experience the faithfulness of God and have personally experienced God working in even the most difficult circumstances of my life to bring about good.
There are many things we may not fully understand in this life but I know my heavenly Father is always working for my good and so I can fully trust him despite any circumstance I may face in this life. I am reminded of the verse in Revelation that declares one day all old things will pass away and all things will be made new. Regardless of your past, present or even future, rest in this incredible promise today, all things will be made new.
As Joanne expressed aging can be difficult to deal, but this verse in Revelation brings us incredible hope. Though our earthly bodies are falling apart, one day all things will be made new! In fact, the older you are, the closer you are to experience this glorious state. I pray our heavenly Father would awaken a passion and excitement for all that awaits on heaven shores beyond our earthly lives.
I highly recommend reading Billy Graham’s book Nearing Home. Written at the age of ninety-three, Graham encourages individuals of the blessings of aging and awakens hearts to seek a greater anticipation of our blessed eternal home. After reading this book, I can hardly wait to reach Billy Graham’s age and reach eternity’s shore. For now let us live our lives as faithful stewards focused on the mission God has called us to accomplish on this earth.
@Clayton, i like everything you shared b/c it’s true. i guess i just never understood why some have to suffer more than others but that’s between them and the LORD. Heaven must be something else for sure considereing we believers who hold on till the end, will get to enjoy it for eternity. i sure don’t like getting old and what goes along with being old. i am still hoping something good will happen for me before i go. Got to keep our eyes on the prize! God bless.
Contemplate on these things, and make sense of them. Understand that you may not and won’t always understand. Whether it be a feeling you’re feeling, or a thought you’ve thought, or even a verse in the good word, etc. Lack of understanding doesn’t mean untrue or false, surely we agree on this as we are believers here; but you should be able to reason through that anyway. We suffer for 2 reasons. The evil in ourselves in what we do at times, and from the evil in others. As you grow and become even more of a child of God, you will suffer and hurt more as you hold onto him in this disgusting world. Rejoice because you suffer for God, for goodness, for love itself, and not only is peace coming, but there is a reward for it all. How do you think the Father feels when you go through such turmoil? His heart breaks with you and for you. When you are tested that is your time to not only show your real faith and love for Him, but to accumulate your reward and place in heaven as well. When you are judged and God looks at you and sees a man who’s father/mother abandoned his family, or one whose spouse cheated and left, or who lived life with one leg, one who was persecuted and wronged countless times and experienced and lived in such turmoil, etc. etc. but he remained In God and In love. When he could not feel or see or hear the spirit, he chose to be of love, glorified God in his heart and words, followed me until his own heart gave out from it all. Surely He will embrace and reward you. And remember what He told you, there is Nothing in this world that you could go through that could contest to the reward God has for you. Think about that and all of the things in this world that slay us. Adultery and infidelity, death of a parent or child or loved one, rape, murder, etc. etc. All of these things and how Awful they are, and yet He has said that? That must be quite a reward…Remember the things of this world are small and we are yet little babies in this universe. Surely He will wipe away every tear, and all will have been more than worth it. The children of good suffer because they are the children of God in an evil world, so rejoice that you are His for it! And we all know how hard it is, every one of our hearts has been shattered to the point we burst into tears and lay in confusion and turmoil. Seek to understand it all, don’t ever stop until you die. And remember you’re not ever alone. Whether you feel it or not.
No eye has seen
No ear has heard
What God has planned
For those who love Him
Celestina and Miguel, God is coming and he is crazy about his people, he is going to do something crazy. I can I can just feel it. We just have to stay strong and spread the gospel because our number one job before anything is to love him and serve him. Miguel my brother has went through drug addiction and is still struggling, but all you can to do is pray for your boys everyday, be a light that shines so brightly in there lives, and do not be scared to ask for help for them. God loves his people dearly, and wants to capture their hearts. I will keep your boys in prayer for you are my brother in Christ and you are not alone. Celestina thank you for responding and thank you for encouraging me. I appreciate it so much.
Christian, wow do we need more young people like you to spread the Gospel in these last days! It blesses my heart to read what you say here. We need a revival so bad. i believe God is a God of the “turn around”. HE needs to do just that with more precious ones such as yourself!i’m so sorry for what has happened in your family. No one is immune to the trial and tribulations in this world. We have to keep looking to Jesus since He’s the One who says He Over comes this World! Thank you for all you do to encourage others.
To Miguel, let me share this scripture with you that the LORD gave me back in 1994. It was on Mother’s day. Jeremiah 24:7. Please look it up and see if it speaks to you. i’m STILL waiting for this Promise to come to pass. My son was baptized and praying for people back at 12 yrs old(he is now 41) i had no real trouble with him as a teenager and every one just adored him. Somewhere along the way, he too, didn’t want anything to do with Jesus. As more time went on, he continued to mock HIM and my faith to the point where i had to cut off communcation with him. i’ve cried many a tear over the situation yet will still believe in that Scripture HE gave me that day. i can feel your disappointment and i’ve lifted you up in prayer. This world is getting more and more corrupt and more and more people are turning from God because of it when you would think it would be the other way around. Drugs are every where and murders and every corrupt sin is mounting as the days go by. i don’t know ANYONE right now who has a care free life or is without some kind of burden. All we can do is keep are eyes on the ONE who loves us and Whose Mercy is new every morning. God says He’s in control so i have let go of SO MUCH in my life and HOLD ON TIGHT to my faith no matter what. You MUST do the same. The LORD bless you and keep you~
Hey my name is Christian Briseno, and I am 23 years of age. My whole life I have been going through trials, but this verse is a verse that I have used my whole life. It is actually my favorite verse in the bible. Right now I have 3 family members who are battling cancer, my aunt had a heart attack a couple weeks ago, I’m in financial debt from school, and I had a break up with my girlfriend. Through all this though I have been surrendering my heart to God and he has been using me in ways that I have never been used before. I know that his strength works best in our weakness, and I am letting him work in me and going to continue to do so. I have been talking to people about God that I would never even talk to before. I have been posting devotionals of my own on facebook, and through this many peoples hearts are getting touched. My family is even getting touched. My little sister made a full commitment to the lord the other day at church, and my mom has seen the change in me as a man, and I know she has been affected as well. My dad and brother are very stubborn and don’t really know God, but lord keeps telling me be patient and we will get them. I believe that God is going to use me to touch many peoples life’s. Who ever reads this right now please pray for me because I am ready to step up to the plate and take my stand for God. For I have a powerful voice, and I am ready to use and do what God wants me to do. God bless.
Right now as I write these words my two sons are dealing with drug addiction personally. One is 21 and works as a waiter, and one is 18, getting ready to finish high school and planning on going to college this coming fall. My oldest son does not live at home, but makes frequent visits for showers, food, etc. I told my 18 year old to leave our home two nights ago because he continues to use a synthetic marijuana called “K2″. Both boys are addicted to this substance. This trial has taken its toll on our family, my marriage, my faith in Christ, my work. Both boys made public decisions for Christ at an early age, yet, are running from Him at this time. Neither attend church anymore. They seem to want nothing to do with Jesus anymore. I pray daily that God will deliver them from the bondage of drugs. One gets sick each morning and throws up before school; the other has frequent bouts of bronchitis. Surely God is using these physical ailments to get their attention; deliverance seems yet to come.
Your devotional spoke to me today, because I wonder, “do my boys really see that I love Jesus”? Do they know how much I love each of them? Has my lack of love for Christ in the past and now in the present caused my sons to turn to drugs for emotional/spiritual pain relief? Some times I feel like I’ve failed as a father and husband, because I was too passive as they grew into adolescence. It’s hard to rejoice at this time because I realize they must choose to come clean or continue in this lifestyle. The story about Whitney Houston actually scares me because I see them traveling down this same road. Still, I cling to His promises, “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it”. “Lord, help us to rely on you each day for grace to persevere through the trials and temptations that you have allowed into our lives”
Jubilee,
Thank you for sharing a part of your story. What you (and all of us) are experiencing is the Kingdom coming: it’s here but not yet, sort of thing. You words ring with honesty, thank you for them.
One thing I noticed when looking at your name, is that Jubilee was something God commanded in Leviticus. Jubilee is a celebration that God instructed Israel to do once every fifty years. During Jubilee, all debts were to be forgiven, all prisoners (mainly people in serious debt) were to be freed, and all property (again, usually lost in debt) was to be returned.
The sad thing is, Jubilee never happened. Maybe you know all this and it’s old news to you, but it just struck me that Jubilee is coming. Even though Israel chose to never celebrate it, it’s coming. Isaiah predicted a Saviour who would proclaim “the year of the Lord’s favour” which is Jubilee.
Praying with you: “Thy Kingdom come.” May we be instruments that God uses to celebrate Jubilee.
“Trials WILL come and we WILL suffer”…you’ve got this right! i’ve been born again over 30 years and have suffered to the point of wishing i were dead. i’m still here. i had to focus on God’s promises so i get out my Promise book. It has the topics to select from and then all the scriptures pertaining to that subject. i have endured, 6 major surgeries including cancer and broken bones. i’ve suffered through 2 divorces and several love relationships where i was used and abused and returned it. i have YET to experience this “Abundant” Life Jesus talks about. The only thing in “abundance” i’ve ever had is abundant pain and disappointment! Sorry, fellow believers, i love Jesus too yet this is the truth for me. Although there was a time i threw the Bible in the garbage can, i always returned to the LORD. He has brought me this far for what ever reason so i continue to praise and worship Him regardless of the circumstances. There is Etrnal Life to come and there will be no more pain and suffering. Guess we have to experience it here in order to appreciate it in the Life to come. Who knows why and i have to be ok with the NOT knowing. God bless us all.