Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3
Father of All Comfort,
We admit, “joy” is not often our first response
when our car won’t start
or when we receive a difficult diagnosis
or when our child struggles in school
or when we have a bad day at work…
And yet, you call us to “consider it a great joy”
when we encounter all kinds of trials.
You must have a good reason,
and your gospel has made that reason clear:
Trials test our faith (James 1:2).
When our kids are happy and our health is good and work works,
we don’t always recognize you as the giver of these good gifts;
we don’t always recognize our desperate dependence on you.
But when trials come, when storms bring rough waters,
we must anchor ourselves to your steadfast love.
You will sustain us,
and “steadfastness” will one day have its full effect:
having gone through this trial,
we will be “mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:4).
Gracious Father, that is what we want most of all:
to be more and more like Christ,
who “for the joy set before him, endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
By his grace, teach us to “count it joy” when we face trials,
and grow our endurance.
In Jesus’ joy-full name. Amen.
Read James 1:1-4; Hebrews 12:1-11.
