Joy through Misery

Joy through Misery
A Perfect Work
James 1: 2 - 4

The month of April was pretty rough. A lot of things seemed to go south pretty fast, while other things went great. That’s life though, isn’t it? The book of James is one of the hardest books in the Bible. It brings the reality of life out. It lines Christians out. In chapter 1:2 James wrote, “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; know this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Job reminds us, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble,” Job14:1.

We don’t always count it all joy when things go tough for us. I can honestly say that I’m quick to get down on myself and, sometimes, life too. Does the Lord expect us to be down? Job could have gotten down worse, and even to the point of denying the LORD if he so chose to. In fact, his wife asked, “Why don’t you curse God and die?” I believe that this woman had already cursed God in her heart. However, Job knew that God was in control. He even stated, “I know thou canst do ever thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.” Unfortunately, in some way or another, we all experience trials and tribulation. We are tested above and beyond all that we think we can stand. Granted some are tested well above others, it seems, and at times there seems to be no end. However, some of the trials or tribulations we have can be a direct reaction to what we have done too. To every decision comes a reaction or consequence. Either way, when the trial comes through, we do not count it joy. We don’t have the excitement about it. We just wonder when it is going to stop; don’t we?

Why should we count it all joy? James tells us why would should count it all joy and this should be encouraging to us all.

WE SHOULD COUNT IT ALL JOY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE TRYING OF OUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE. VS. 3

It is not smart to ask the Lord for Patience. I know that my patience has been worked hard, but then again maybe it hasn’t been worked as hard as it can be. If you pray for patience, you usually are given trials to help build it up. It leads us to depend on God more. I made the comment, not long ago, about how I would like for the Lord to speak to me like HE did in the Old Testament and even some in the New Testament. How simple would it be if God would answer us directly and verbally? Then again, it may not be what I really would want to hear. Would communications between me and the Lord be constant? How about, what would he say if I made wrong decisions and ask me, why are you here, or there, or why did you do this or that? How come you didn’t go to church this morning or how come you didn’t study your Bible today? Get the drift? Yes, it would be great to have the answers quickly, but there are times we don’t want to hear these answers either. Patience is not my best virtue by a long shot. When I want something, I usually want it now. However, I find that actually waiting upon the Lord does renew my strength, and God’s plan is usually revealed to me. There is one area in my life though, that I wished I could be doing what my heart desires, and my patience is not so strong. We need to thank God daily for even the bad things that seem to happen from day to day. We need to realize that things could always be much worse. Thank God for life and the opportunity to have our faith worked. We all need it.

WE SHOULD COUNT IT ALL JOY, BECAUSE WHEN PATIENCE HAS FINISHED HER WORK WE WILL BE PERFECT AND ENTIRE, WANTING NOTHING. VS. 4

Now understand this; God supplies our needs, but doesn’t always give us our wants when we want them. When I was a young man, I bought a brand new 1981 - 14 x 80 Melody Mobile Home. It was my first ever major purchase, well, besides a car or two. My wife and I lived in a trailer park, which was provided by the man I bought the Mobil Home from. Eventually I wanted a place of my own to put it on. I believe I was paying $70.00 a month on this place and I decided I could pay that much on my own place. A man that I used to go to church with told me he would sell me 21/2 acres of land when he moved his mobile home, which he was trying to sell separate. I went to my banker, who later went with me to examine this land, and he started showing me the down sides of the land. It has a gas well on it; what if the gas line explodes, the land is low, it may flood; and he finally ended the conversation with, “I don’t think it’s worth what they are asking for it. The value of it is lower than their price.” It was a devastating blow to me. He then said, “But, if you just have to have it, I guess I’ll finance it.” I went home and was still very down about it. I had lost all patience, which wasn’t much, and started asking, ‘why me?’ Not many days longer, another man that I had gone to church with called me and told me of an acre and a half that was vacant. I found out that my bank had gotten the land back from a default of the owner and needed to get rid of it. I went to my banker who didn’t know a thing about it, but found out which banker did own it. He loaned me the money for it, and even though I don’t live there any longer, it is still one of the prettiest lots I ever had. Even though I didn’t have the patience I needed, God provided it for my family. I lived there for 5 years before I moved. Now, I’m looking for another place to live, and again, I thought I had the perfect spot to live. A man had promised me some land at a great price, but he was unable to fulfill his commitment, because of other problems with the land. I have not counted it joy that I was unable to get the land, because I wanted it so bad. It seems like everything I’ve been interested in has been a dead end. Before I left my job, I thought I had another job, and it fell through. I was very disappointed, but God had a better idea. Things don’t always go as we plan, but they always, and I mean always, go the way God plans. If we learn to be patient, God will show us a better way, and it will be perfect and entire, and you will be wanting for nothing. However, this comes in HIS time, and not always in our time.


WE SHOULD WAIT UPON GOD’S WILL FOR US.

I know that this isn’t the easiest thing to do. Many trials and tribulations may come our way while waiting upon HIM. If fact, it may be the waiting that causes us to think we are in a trial. Who knows? However, we do know that the Lord only wants the best for each of us. That is why HE sent HIS only begotten SON to die for us, in our place, that we can be saved. Do we count that all joy? If we don’t, we should. Thank HIM for dying in our place. When making a decision, seek the Lord. If you make that a priority, then you are allowing HIM to show you what HE wants you to do. When it happens, you will be pleasantly surprised.