Rejoice in The Hard Times.

Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face various trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2,3)

Reading theses words always put me in such a strange spot spiritually. I know that I am supposed have joy in all things, but am I really supposed to consider it PURE joy when I face various trials? I don’t think James made a typo here, and the more I live the more they start to become true in my own life.

This past year, although it has been full of wonderful memories and moments, has been the longest year of my life. I have been through things that I hope most people don’t ever have to go through. I found myself in a really low place and I felt like God was far from me. In my bible, the verses above led me to Acts 5:17-42 which talks about the apostles of God suffering for His sake. In the story the Sadducees were upset that these men were preaching and teaching the name of Jesus and had them arrested and put in a public jail. During the night an angel of the Lord came and released the men and told them to continue teaching. They did as they were told  and continued preaching the next day. The Sanhedrin (a full assembly of the elders of Israel) saw this and became angry again and wanted to murder the apostles. Then a pharisee named Gamaliel stopped them and reminded the Sanhedrin of previous men who come to Jerusalem in the past who taught certain things and created a stir and how eventually they failed and what they did didn’t last.  Because of this he said  “If their purpose or activity is of human origin it will fail, but if it is from God you will not be able to stop these men: you will only find yourself fighting God.” Then the apostles were let go by the Sanhedrin after being flogged, and they rejoiced because they knew they had suffered for Christ’s sake.

The thing about this story that shocks me is that these men did not back down or fear. At no point did they say to themselves, “Well I guess God really isn’t with us because this wasn’t supposed to happen.” they kept the faith and continued on in the Lord. So much so that when they were flogged (a public beating, meant to be humiliating, usually resulting in multiple lashes) and released they left with joy and they were rejoicing because they knew that they had just suffered for Christ’s sake. I can’t really recollect a time in my life that I have rejoiced when I was hurting, or when I was criticized for my faith. This is some serious food for thought, especially in the world we live in.

How do we have joy when we get treated unfairly in the workplace or even in our own homes? How do we have joy when we are struggling with sorrow and sadness, when everyone has left and we find ourselves in the pit of anger and frustration? How do we have joy while living in a country that is continually turning it’s back on God and forsaking his commandments? It’s hard to imagine a solution, but I assure you and my own self, there is one, and His name is Jesus.

Yes, just Jesus. He endured things we may not ever even begin to endure here in America, and He did that not so we wouldn’t ever face any trials, but that we wouldn’t remain there, and so we wouldn’t be consumed by them. Last week I went to a near by county fair and among the booths at the fair there was a station were you could buy a clam/oyster to crack open and find the pearl inside which you could keep and take home. I hung around and watched these two young girls begin the process of getting the pearl out. They sat there for at least 5 minutes trying their best to crack open the shell of the oyster, using a knife-like tool to try and pry it open here and there. Pulling at it and cracking off certain loose pieces. Then finally, one girl got one open, she was so excited as she pulled apart the insides and searched around for the precious pearl.

This reminds me so vividly of what God does to us. Sometimes we must go through those rough times in order to be broken apart. And after we are broken apart if we allow Him, God will produce something precious in us, and after all the picking and tearing breaking, He will search for us, for that special part of us that He, through all the trials, made beautiful and pleasing to Him. If I hadn’t gone through all the things I went through this year, I would even be able to write this blog post to encourage you. I would still be naive concerning certain things of life.

“Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face various trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

Let this be your prayer. Those apostles had something precious, they had the joy of the Lord. After they were broken and pulled apart they produced the precious joy of the Lord. If you are suffering for Christ’s sake He will not leave you. I pray that God helps his children to remember that we have a prize ahead, a constant help in times of need. Let God lift your head, let Him have his way in you because His way is always good.