Joy is a PersonSample

Joy is a Choice

Joy is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. James 1:2 (NIV). 

To be honest, I’ve rolled my eyes at this verse many times. I’ve quickly skimmed past it looking for a more appealing scripture a little further down the page. How can we possibly be expected to name our trials “joy”?

It’s been difficult for me to consider everything that happens as joy. How can anyone think of joy when you have a flat tire and you’ll be late to work? There is no joy when you are sick, your paycheck doesn’t cover all the bills, someone you love is ill or passes from this life, or even in the mundane things we have to do every day. 

It seems counterintuitive to find joy in hard things. But I have some good news for you about the word “consider.”

This word is from the Greek verb, hegeomai, meaning to lead, to go before, to rule or command, to have authority over. 

James isn’t suggesting that we simply pull a happy emotion from thin air and decide to go with it. Rather, he is convinced that choosing joy—Jesus—and allowing Him to lead instead of our feelings is the way to endure our troubles.

Now, I don’t know about you, but this idea is far easier for me to wrap my mind around! Maybe James and I can be friends again.  

In your deepest, darkest times you will have the opportunity to make a choice for joy before the fears and what-ifs lead you to panic. Choosing joy will go against everything your senses tell you, but allowing joy to lead you is activation of your faith in God and proves you believe Jesus is alive! 

Father, thank You that when life is hard I don’t have to work up a feeling of joy, but simply take Your hand and allow You to lead me through every difficulty. Today I make a choice for You—for joy. As I choose to focus on You and Your promises to me, please help me remember that You are enough in every circumstance and I will make it through every difficulty in life as I choose to stay by Your side.