Consider it pure joy

“Consider is pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” –James 1:2-4

Pure joy amidst my trials? Surely God is joking, right? I mean, it’s human nature to sulk and throw a pity party when things aren’t going well. It’s all too easy to get into a slump and be depressed when life throws up and bad things happen. I’ve cried the ugly cry and screamed the blood curdling scream when things just didn’t make sense; when my reality didn’t fit with the life I was accustomed to. How could I have considered it pure joy?

My faith had been weak and I was thrust into a position I wasn’t prepared to handle. I fought tooth and nail to hang on to a reality that no longer existed and at the same time, growing in my faith and trusting that God would hold me and see me through. And see me through is exactly what He did! In my weak faith, I couldn’t see the joy that God was working in my life. As my faith grew through the process of these trials, God showed me how to look for the joy. The joy comes in knowing that through the trials, God is teaching me, pruning me, shaping me to be the woman He wants me to be and I’ll never be the same.

Two years later and God is still teaching me to look for the joy and is showing me how he works all things for good. I had been contemplating purchasing a new car in order to accommodate my growing family. 6 of us just don’t fit in a 5 seater car and in order for us to all go out, we have to take 2 vehicles. However, I just couldn’t justify the added expense of a car payment, especially when my car was paid for. I kept the thought in the back of my mind and rolled it around from time to time. Even more so were these thoughts of a new car brought to mind when I took it in for an oil change and the mechanic told me it was having engine problems. Still, I just couldn’t bring myself to start looking.

As June approached and the anniversary of when life threw up started to near, anxiety started to creep in and vacation in my heart. I prayed this year wouldn’t be as intense as the previous year, but the memories continued to flood the forefront of my mind. The morning of said anniversary, which also happened to be a Tuesday (I hate Tuesdays), I got into my car to start my day and the engine would not turn over. 10 minutes of frustration, panic, and “OH MY GAWD! WHAT DO I DO” running through my mind and I gave up. I sent the boys back inside, called in sick, and prayed. Even though I had been contemplating a new car I still didn’t want to admit defeat. As I sat there praying and my mind wondering, I remembered the date. It was the day that, 2 years prior, life had thrown up. The day the whole process of learning to consider these trials joy had begun. It had come full circle, just as God had planned. He answered my prayer by giving me a day to relax and enjoy my family while giving me the go ahead to purchase the vehicle my family needs.

God is good – all the time!