Consider it Joy
Lately, I feel like life is throwing one thing at me after another. However, I feel as if it’s not affecting me as it would have in the past. While searching for a devotional today, these verses popped up. I almost skipped them but I felt like I was led to read over them.
2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 (AMP)
I Finally Get It
I’ve read these verses many times but I never understood them before today. I heard many people saying many different things about this. That God is putting you through trials or that God is putting you through the test, but then I hear on the other side that God is not going to tempt you with negative things. However, today I finally understood it.
I have gone through many negative things, none of which was God’s doing. I’ve seen His glory manifest over and over. Because of this, the hard things get easier to overcome. Even now, I am going through something that, in the past, would have devastated me and cause me to completely withdraw. However, I am now completely reliant upon Him. I actually feel peace because I know that God is walking with me through this and He’s going to get me through this.
My Faith is Stronger
Because of my faith in Him, I can handle these things better. I can consider it joy because I know that He will give me the tools that I need and I will become stronger in the end. Please know that God will not tempt you with negative things, however, because of the way we live, negative things will come to us. Have faith that God is going to help you overcome.