When trials emerge, Christians often find refuge in James 1:2-4. How much more in this season should we mine its riches to make sure we know what God thinks of our trials? Let’s take a minute to look at this wonderful passage phrase-by-phrase and think through some applications for our current moment.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”
God has two commands for us in James 1:2-4. The first command is that when we meet trials of various kinds, we need to “count” (other translations “consider”) them all joy. The command itself (“count”) is worth breaking down. This is indeed a command, which means it is a choice God requires us to make.
The very fact that we need to “count” something as joy implies that it is not something we would normally see as joyful. The “trials of various kinds” are just that: trials. They are not fun; they are not easy. And yet, when we inevitably meet them, we are to look them squarely in the face and say, “I’m choosing to treat you differently than you deserve.”
“For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
This phrase
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