No Matter
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
INSIGHT
No matter how good things seem to go in our life, we are bound to face struggles and hardships. Bound to face things we don’t feel we can handle. It could be the loss of a loved one, heartbreak, or even something unfair at work. The truth is, God never promises us smooth sailing, God promises to be there with us. He is always working even when we don’t see it.
A few years ago, I faced something that rocked my world. It was a hurt in my heart that I hadn’t experienced before, and I juggled between the emotions of anger and sadness. Somedays I wanted to yell and others I just wanted to cry. I had a dear friend that walked through this season with me and I remember her asking me if I believed God could use this for good. Of course I did, that was the Christian answer, right? I spent several weeks wrestling that out though. My struggle wasn’t so much COULD God, but more WOULD God. I believed that with God all things are possible, but did I trust Him even if the outcome didn’t go my way?
The truth is, God didn’t just fix my problem, there are still wounds being healed, but God was with me. That year the song, Waymaker became my anthem. It says, “Even when I don’t see it, You’re working. Even when I can’t feel it, You’re working.” God doesn’t take away the pain from trials, but He is certainly right there with us and I believe He IS working.
In the book of James, it tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials. Pure Joy. That kind of joy doesn’t come from putting on a tough face and pretending like everything is okay. That kind of joy comes from wrestling things out with God and trusting that He is there with you. That kind of joy takes time, and it can only be found in Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION
Where do you struggle to trust that God is there for you and cares about your situation?
What would it look like to wrestle out your joy?
PRAYER
God thank you for the truth that You are always with us. Thank you for having a larger perspective and knowing what is best for me. I pray that even when trials come, I will choose to trust that You are still there and still working. Help me to keep my eyes on You so that You can continue to shape and mold me as we walk through things together. Amen.
Katie Robinson, Treasure Island Curriculum Coordinator, wrote today’s devotional.
