Do you want pure joy in your life? Imagine having such joy that it cannot be corrupted by your situation, your feelings or by people's opinions. I'm sure everyone would want that kind of pure incorruptible joy. Well the Bible tells us that we can have that kind of joy, and it's found in trials.
Wait what? Does the Bible really say that? Well, in fact, it does. James 1:2 (NIV) tells us "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds." We live in a day and age where having problems is almost synonymous to being depressed and hopeless, but God defines problems in a different way.
In the eyes of God, problems are actually a good thing. In Revelations 14:12, God gives us "...a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus." God allows problems to come into our lives. It's not that He gives us problems, but that He let's them pass through the funnel. Why? Because problems are actually supposed to make you believe.
Without trials and persecutions, there would be no need for us to exercise faith, but in gaining problems, we actually gain reasons to believe that despite of these problems, we know that there is a God who is above the situation and who has a good, pleasing and perfect will for us.
2 Corinthians 12:8–9 says "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Most of the time, however, when Christians are faced with trials, our first reaction is to consider giving up. Why is that? Because our default is to think that the outcome is based on our performance, and when we are out of moves, there are definitely no moves left.
But when we realise that there is a big God that is above our situation, and constantly grow in filtering out all those doubts and feelings of hopelessness, God builds up in us a steadfast and unwavering faith that believes that there is indeed a God who can do the seemingly impossible.
So the next time you want to give up, stop for a moment and consider this- did Jesus give up on you when you were a hopeless case? Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." So if Jesus never gave up on us, who are we to give up on ourselves?
We may not have all the moves, all the answers and all the favours now, but God is still in control and He calls us to be still and know that He is indeed God over our situation.
