Consider it pure what???

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds."

-James 1:2

Here's what I'd like to say lately.  I don't WANT to consider it pure joy.  To be quite honest, it is painful and lonely and far from joyful.  In the Beth Moore "James" study (which, by the way is amazing if you haven't heard me say that before) she says this, "We have to take responsibility for setting out our own bait and biting it, too.  While the Bible by no means absolves Satan in this process, in this one vital spot we're forced to reckon with our sinful selves alone.  Once I realized the problem was in me and not just around me or done to me, I knew Jesus was my only hope.  He alone can change us from the core."

There is SO much in that section of the study that I love but the thing that hit me, that was (somewhat) new was that in this case, there was no one to blame.  I have the choice.

There is a saying I'm sure we're all familiar with - "the devil made me do it," and how many times have we seen cartoons with the angel on one side and the devil on the other competing with each other.  This time, there is no devil on my shoulder.  Sure, he makes things in my day MUCH harder (say, a non-napping 2 year old that is an absolute mess by 4pm), but it is my choice to take the joy route.

Let's look at the word, "consider."  Merriam Webster defines it this way, "to think carefully, to regard or treat in an attentive or kindly way, to gaze on steadily or reflectively."  This word requires thought.  When I take that definition and read, "consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds," I am being asked to think about the joy within the trials.  What?  Human nature does not lend itself to this task.  Human nature says, "this is crap."  "I don't deserve this."  "Why me?"  But then, human nature is sinful.

James is asking us to think like Jesus.  Jesus would point out the joy in the situation.  Jesus would say, "you get all those sweet, wonderful moments with your kids."  Jesus would say, "you now don't take your family for granted."  Jesus would say, "you're learning to lean and rely solely on me."

Maybe that is part of it.  Maybe we need to slow down and really seek God to know what the joy is even in these seemingly awful situations.  I know that it is easier said that done and I know so many of you are facing things that are miles beyond my traveling husband and homesickness.  I don't know how we find joy in some situations.  I don't know how we find joy when the world around us is caving in and it feels like we are in the fight of our life.  I don't know other than to seek.  Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  I don't know about you but when I feel like I am drowning, I seek with all of my heart.  I know God is there.  I know he is listening.  But I have to choose to listen.  He is telling me to consider it joy, to find the joy in a crappy situation, a horrible diagnosis, a situation I can't even begin to understand.  He's there and I know he's willing to walk with me but I have to make the choice.  I can't say that the devil made me do it.  It is up to me.  I was given free will, I need to use it.  I need to consider, I need to think.  I need to seek and I need to offer thanks as I find the joy.