Tears & Joy

Try Googling the many faces of Lucille Ball even if you don’t know who she is. She has some great faces. Almost all are hilarious, but some reflect happy or funny scenes in I Love Lucy and others reflect trouble she was in usually of her own doing. There are probably some faces you can relate to. Even in the same day you might experience one of the big smile faces and one of the grimaces. Life is full of tears and joy, but how do we have joy in the tears?

I recently finished a detailed study of the book of James. (As a side note, I used an ESV Scripture Journal - there are various kinds available. One side is the Scripture, the other side is blank for taking lots of notes, drawing or diagramming.) I studied 2-6 verses/day. Slowing down to really meditate on the verses. Some recent events brought me back to chapter 1:2-4.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

James 1:2-4

Some of you may be wondering if James was in his right mind when he wrote that. As all Scripture is inspired by God and infallible, the answer is yes. The Holy Spirit inspired James to write what he did. Trials and joy together are not a mistake. James was eventually killed for his faith, so he may have personally understood persecution before his death. Not only that, but as the brother of Jesus, he witnessed what Jesus endured in His ministry and death.

The last few weeks there have been several occasions for tears - seeing physical bodies that are failing, attacks from other Christians, plans that changed, missing dear friends, family and friends not walking with God, my own sinfulness. As we were driving home Monday from a Labor Day weekend get-away and some of the tears were forming, I thought about how I could practically count it all joy in those specific, tearful trials.

First, counting it all joy in all trials is not pasting on a happy face and pretending that everything is good. Isaiah 53:3 tells us that Jesus was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. The Psalms are full of people crying out to God in their hurt. Counting it all joy in trials is rooted in our perspective of the trial. Are we focused on the trial, the hurt, the injustice or are we focused on God’s character and purpose?

Verse 3 says that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. God is perfectly steadfast. He never changes (or if you want the theological word, He is immutable). Why does God’s unchanging character matter? Because in trials, we can know that He is sovereign. Whatever our trial may be, it has not escaped God. It is not out of His control, and in fact, He has allowed it that we might become conformed more to the image of Jesus (verse 4; Romans 8:28-29). We know that He is good. He isn’t delighting in our suffering. We know that He is faithful and loving and will never leave or forsake us in a trial or at any other time (Romans 8:31-39). He is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18), and that He comforts us in our affliction. God’s character changes how we view our circumstances and is the foundation for our own steadfastness.

Second, we note in verse 3 that the “testing of our faith produces steadfastness.” The trials are by God’s design and for His purpose in our lives. Often in the midst of trials, we don’t see the purpose. We see only the hurt, the difficulty, the suffering. I know it is encouraging to me to know that there is purpose in what I am experiencing even if I don’t know what it is at the moment. It keeps me expectant of what God is doing (see my “Expectant” blog post for more). We can count our trial as joy because we have the assurance of God’s purpose in it.

Third, the testing of our faith reveals who or what we are trusting in. Will our trial drive us to God to fall on His wisdom, sovereignty, grace and mercy or will we turn to ourselves, others or things? When we look to God, James says that faith will produce steadfastness (part of our being conformed to the image of Jesus). Steadfastness means that we are able to persevere patiently through the trial. We are rooted in God’s character and His Word. There is a reason James tells us in verse 5 that if we lack wisdom, ask God. He is pointing us to prayer and God’s Word. That is how we know God’s character to strengthen our faith and that in turn produces steadfastness.

When my doctor first told me I might have cervical cancer, I sadly admit that my faith was not evident. I wondered, “Why me? What if I die? What will happen to Jeremy?” I wallowed in self-pity for about twenty-four hours, and then God got a hold of me. Only by His grace did I then remember His sovereignty, love, goodness and faithfulness. It changed my whole perspective. It was the beginning of looking at health trials with expectancy of how God could use it, where I needed to grow and how I could use it to share the hope and joy that I have.

Fourth, we have joy in trials because steadfastness then can reach its full effect of making us perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Talk about hope and joy! Verse 4 resounds with the purpose God is working in our trial. He is sanctifying us and bringing us closer to the day in heaven when we will truly be perfected, finished, not wanting in any way, free from sin and nothing more will be needed or required (Philippians 1:6).

God also promises in verse 12 that “Blessed (or happy) is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” Gracious is our God. He gives us a precious promise to cling to. Even more, He gives us Himself.

Throughout Scripture we have examples of those who endured trials and the good that God worked. Egypt and the Israelites were saved because Joseph trusted God and was steadfast. Daniel and His friends trusted God through fire and lions. God used their trials to change rulers’ hearts. Jesus’ endured more trials and suffering than we ever will. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that Jesus, “who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus could count all the pain, shame and rejection as joy because He was looking forward to what God would do because of what He was enduring – our forgiveness, redemption and eternal life with God.

My tearful circumstances may not change, but I want to be faithful and steadfast. By the Spirit, each day I’m going to seek how I can count those circumstances as all JOY.