We’re studying the book of James in our Woman’s Bible Study. I always say that you learn more teaching than you do listening. When forced to dig into Scripture and learn a passage in order to clearly communicate it to others, the Scripture comes alive in miraculous ways. This is what happened for me when studying James 1:2-18; and in particular I found a new meaning to the familiar verse that James writes at the beginning of his letter: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness….”
Notice first that James says, “Consider.” He knows that what he’s asking this group of believers to do is something unnatural for us. Consider, fellow believers, facing the trials that are in your life differently than you might have considered in the past. Consider, my beloved, facing those trials with joy.
Joy. What this doesn’t mean is having to face trials with a smile on our face. It doesn’t mean acting like everything is OK when it is not. And it doesn’t mean that the all too familiar kids song, “I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart,” need be sung in a major tune. Joy can be found in the minor melody’s. Joy can be found in sadness. Joy can be seen in the deepest of uncertainties.
Joy is not an emotion. Rather, it is a deep and unwavering trust in our faithful and merciful Savior, Jesus Christ. And what is beautiful about this trust is that it is God who gives us the ability to trust and rest in Him. He does not ask from us what He will not in turn give for us. God is good….all the time.
My sister, Erin, thirty years old, called on Friday with news that sent shock waves through our family. She has breast cancer. This was found only three days after giving birth to her third, a little boy named Samuel David Fray. The Lord clearly gave her an abundance of peace and strength as she called and portrayed the news.
Cancer is not unfamiliar in our family. In fact, it is all too familiar. However, the words “during treatment,” and “meeting with the oncologist and surgeon,” were nothing short of foreign coming from my sister’s mouth. All this while holding her sleeping newborn baby in her arms.
God is faithful. And the image of her precious baby is most certainly one of God’s unending faithfulness to us. He holds us in his arms whether we’re calm and at peace, or whether we’re kicking and screaming, He holds us, loves us, and comforts us unconditionally. Like a newborn who doesn’t understand the life around him, we too struggle at times to make sense of the difficulties that we face during our journey Home. And yet, like a parent, God teaches us. He molds us, and sometimes gives us glimpses of His plan at work within us. We’re called to trust. We’re called to rest peacefully in the arms of our Savior knowing that He will carry us on the path that He has already laid out before us.
God is faithful. And while we mourn the struggles of this life, we look forward to the day when they’re will be no sadness, their will be no pain, and we will see our Savior face to face. Because of this, we have JOY in the midst of mourning.
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Amen.
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Katie,
You put it so wonderfullly when you wrote that God is the one who gives us the ability to trust and rest in Him. I will be praying for your family and Erin, that you'll be able to trust Him during this uncertain and scary time. I am so thankful that you all know my Jesus too and can trust Him to carry you through this.
Naomi
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Katie,
Please tell Erin she is in our prayers as is all of your family. We will pray for God's healing and provision of his grace during this time.
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Katie,
I am so sorry. Our small group at Kirk has Erin and your family on our prayer list.
Melenie
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Well said, Katie…and the song left me quietly stunned by it's power.
"Isaiah 40:11 "He will tend His flock like a Shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."
Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
May it be so for your sister and all your family. I'm praying for you all to have the joy
that cannot be stolen. Lovingly, Lisa's Mom