Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials… – James 1:2

THE TEST IS… OUR FAITH
We do not know what our faith is like until Tested. When I was about 12 years old, my parents had saved to purchase me a two man tent. I loved it! I camped out in our back yard and I thought it was brilliant. It was rain proof, and I had no reasons to doubt it in those lovely summer evenings when I slept in the tent out under the stars. Even the darkness of night did not cause me to think otherwise- it was rain proof. But the test of the claim of being “rain proof” did not come until it- rained- and then it was exposed – the claim was not accurate… for the rain began to seep in at different places in the roof of the tent….it had leaks coming in and it was not rain proof! The test revealed the truth and exposes the false claim! “Rain -Proof” was only put to the test rain that came through the roof of the tent! It is not in the profession of our faith but in the testing that proves the genuineness of it.

COUNT IT ALL JOY
The Command to Immediately commence rejoicing is TO BE the first response to Trials. “Count it all” or as some translate ”consider” has to do with THINKING and CONCLUDING that there is reason you can be glad of heart because as we will discuss later on you know that this is but the PROCESS to what God is producing in us and will produce, namely perseverance, spiritual maturity and reception of a reward from God for obedience to Him in the trial-James 1:12 “COUNT IT ALL…CONSIDER…” is to calculate and conclude based not on changing circumstances or what you”feel” but based on the TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD… Who He is! BASED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS…I can, You can, be glad, knowing there is a Divine purpose to these trials that have a definite goal in sight!

WHEN
Do not behave as though you are surprised when troubles come. Troubles are inevitable.

ENCOUNTER
The word for encounter is derived from two words (peripipto from peri = around + pipto = to fall, to fall into, to fall down)

The word literally means “to fall around, and so to fall in with or among.” (trials, Jas 1:2, robbers Lk 10:30 This verb can also convey the sense of falling into something suddenly or unexpectedly it is used in Luke 10:30 of the story of the good Samaritan and the man who was suddenly jumped upon, seized upon by robbers – this is how the word is used, suddenly, unexpectedly. Isn’t that just like trials, seemingly from nowhere that phone call in the middle of the night, the lay off from work, an illness, a bankruptcy. The picture is “ being encompassed by trials.”

VARIOUS TRIALS

Trials, troubles of various types…there is more than one type of trial or trouble…they come in all shapes, sizes, severity and longevity y{See Psalm 13:1}

THE JOY – THE EYES OF FAITH
You may have heard the statement ,”I can’t look into the future, I don’t have a crystal ball.” But the follower of the LORD Jesus – can look into the future and indeed is to carefully consider the FUTURE BENEFITS of the particular trials they are presently in- WHICH IS- Spiritually development in

  • The Joy – is not in painful, heart wrenching circumstances
  • The Joy – is in the assurance that God is King- He is Sovereign- He is in control and nothing including these trials are too difficult for Him to deal with and enable you to deal with them – Jer 32:17
  • The Joy – is to look beyond the present troubles to what God will use them as a means to PRODUCE in your life. Consider the FUTURE BENEFITS of the particular trials YOU are presently in

TRIALS ARE FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IN… 

  • Perseverance – v 3
  • Spiritual maturity – v 4
  • Future Rewards- 1:12
  • Opportunity to express Love to God- James 1:12

JOY
Is the gladness of heart NOT based on favorable circumstances BUT produced by God’s Spirit when He is in control of a person’s life. Joy is a fruit of obedience, that gladness of heart that, in obeying God’s Word finds delight and satisfaction in Him.-Gal 5:22-23; John 15:11

Joy is the settled conclusion that one comes to and the confident assurance that in trials- God is Sovereign- Jer 32:17; God is Faithful- Psalm 145:13; God is good- God Cares- 1 Peter 5:7 ;God’s Promises are to be trusted.-Psalm 145:13. Joy is a gift of God –Gal 5:22-23. Joy is the fruit of what God’s Spirit produces when He is yielded to. Trusting God is evidenced by Obedience to His Word.

Trials are not the source of Joy. It is the ATTITUDE ADOPTED in obedience to God which produces Joy in the fact we KNOW What God is doing.

Some believers falsely have believed that if they obey God He will shelter and keep them from trials, and as though trials are somehow God reneging on His promises to protect them , their loved ones and possessions. They believe falsely they should not go through any trials, but this passage blows that false concept out of the water when James writes, “when you encounter various trials.”- “When”- not “If”- Trials are inevitable. Jesus said In this world you will have trouble.”- Job said -“as sparks fly upward….” James says “when…”

JOY IS THE FUTURE MINDSET
The joyful mindset is to project what God will produce when in obedient faith we comply with God’s will for us, His way in our present troubles. The COMMAND to Continually calculate, consider and come to the conclusion that God is going to do what He says He will do in …- Developing Perseverance, Spiritual Maturity and Future Reward.

LOOK BEYOND THE TRIAL TO THE BENEFITS
This demands faith in God. To Believe God will do what He says He will do. This is the delight, joy for the believer the Blessed assurance OF WHAT GOD WILL PRODUCE FROM THESE

THE RESPONSE – OF FAITH
Trials are NOT a choice. The RESPONSE to Trials is! To choose to believe God and follow His prescription for our trials and believe He is good and His Promises are true- and this will work out for our good , His honor -OR the choice to doubt Him, Disbelieve His promises, choose to handle them our own way and fail to Honor Him in them. The only way we know is by our RESPONSE – IN THE TIME OF TESTING.

Any of us can say we believe in God and trust His promises, when everything is going well in our lives and those around us whose lives affect us directly or when circumstances are favorable.

The test is when the troubles come. Troubles of various types, lengths of time and severity. The proof of the claim of my tent been “Rain Proof”- did not match up to the test of RAIN! The proof of our profession is revealed in trials. James is calling for believers to adopt a new attitude. Not one of stoicism which says ,”grin and bear it” nor indeed one of excitement about the trial but the reality having considered and concluded our deliberation that we have the HOPE OF JOY, the ASSURANCE of future blessing as we look past the trial to the GOOD that God is intending to produce in us through the trial again as we have been said,

  • Producing Perseverance
  • Spiritual Maturity
  • Future Rewards…. and these are but three of the benefits, never mind the present reality of drawing close to Him in prayer and seeing Him meet us with Himself in the trial.

Trials afford us opportunities to display what we believe about God, His Word and His ability.

If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem be against us, we do not believe Him at all. – Charles Spurgeon

To CHOOSE TO trust God – in the trial, will require a radical change in the way we think about trials. They are not here to destroy us but to develop us. This takes us choosing to align and change the way we have viewed trials and to adopt a Godly mind-set- which is radical – in choosing to believe God and the Future Hope that trials will produce when we follow His way by faith… and obey

THE 4 COMMANDS FOR EVERY TRIAL

  1. REJOICE – Why? Because the next three commands gives us reasons why?
  2. KNOWING – Has to do with an understanding mind- V3
  3. LET – Has to do with a submissive will to God. – V 4
  4. ASK – Has to do with praying for wisdom when we don’t know what to do and we turn to God- first and foremost to seek from him what we are aware is a deficiency within us.

Trials are unavoidable – The Joy is looking beyond the trials to what He will produce in you. The Response is a choice of faith…. of loyalty….of love to and… for Him.

Trials are gigantic opportunities to grow spiritually and as we are -Choosing to trust and Obey Him AS An Expression of Love to Him, then we can have joy in seeing the end of the trial as for our Good, His honor. And we can choose to Joy in what we know His outcome for us will be.

TRIALS

WE ARE bidden to count our trials as pure Joy, since our patient endurance leads ultimately to the finished product of a holy character. – F.B. MEYER

We Joy not in pain or troubles but we joy in knowing the outcome!

APPLICATION

  1. Memorize and Meditate upon James 1:2. write it on a 3 by 5 card. Put in a place you will see it each morning, or evening time. Be deliberate in placing His Word before you.
  2. Be able to explain, word for word what this means
  3. Ask the LORD to help you remember and APPLY this verse to your circumstances
  4. SHARE THIS verse with someone this week- Why they can choose to respond to Trials God’s Way