Counting It All Joy...

To encourage my own heart,
I re-read through this old post today.
It is a blessing to be gently reminded
of the Lord's beautiful Truths.


{{transferred from previous blog...
originally posted here on June 14, 2007}}



Have you ever claimed the old saying
'When it rains, it pours'?
Isn't it interesting how when we are faced with one trial
another seems to 'caboose' onto the next
and soon there is a train of trials?

I am thankful I have
the Great Conductor guiding the way.
Oh, how thankful I am
that He is Faithful in growing me
and showing me (reminding me)
of His precious Truths.

We have begun going through
the book of James at church
and I have decided to add it to my quiet time reading.
The following is from those times...
(some emphasis added by me)

"My brethren, count it all joy
when ye fall into divers temptations"
~ James 1:2

JOY... in divers temptations...
divers = different; various;
several temptations... trails

Hmmm... a little equation...
divers temptations = different, various, several trials = joy
What an interesting formula!
Why joy?
Joy, because God has placed us in/allowed these trials
and in them we get to see God work!

But in the following verses,
He elaborates on this joyful concept...
"Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
~ James 1:3,4

These trials are not the trying of my patience,
but they are the trying of my faith
to produce the much needed patience.
As my faith grows, my patience grows.

The patience has work
and it will accomplish something...
it will accomplish the perfect that Scripture says.
Not perfect, as in sinless...
perfect as in spiritually mature.
The trials are working our patience
and patience works in us...
it grows us more like Christ and gives us... joy.
"For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son..." ~ Romans 8:29
Our trials are being used to accomplish that great goal...
to be more like the Son of God...
more like Jesus Christ.

The trials that are trying my faith
are working patience...
Patience (Webster 1828) =
The suffering of afflictions (etc...)
with a calm unruffled temper;
endurance without murmuring or fretfulness.
The act or quality of waiting long for justice
or expected good without discontent.
Perserverance; constancy in labor.

I also like the way it was worded
by a fellow brethren...
"a steadfast endurance with peace in my heart
that God will accomplish His Perfect Will."

divers temptations = different, various, several trials = JOY

A Christian's goal and patience's purpose...
to be more like the Son of God.

There is a song called
"More Like the Son of God"
that I hold dear to my heart.
I wanted to share a few lines...
"More like the Son of God,
Lord, how I want to be.
More than anything on Earth,
I want His likeness seen in me.
More like my Saviour,
Who died to set me free.
Precious Lord,
make me more like Thee."


By His grace... counting it all joy.