PURE JOY

Consider it pure joy when you face trials of various kinds. Hmm. I don’t know about you, but for me going through a trial of any kind is not something that I think of with any type of joy whatsoever. Yet, James says not just joy, but pure joy! This testing of our faith is to produce steadfastness and perseverance so we can be mature not lacking in anything. There are times though I don’t want to be steadfast or persevering. I would rather have the easy way out and not go through something to begin with. Yet as I look back upon hard times in my life. . . .

If I had not gone through the hard times of having to stay in bed during my pregnancies, I would never have learned all of the jewels of knowledge which He granted me during this most difficult period in my life. I see the blessings, I see how our marriage was tested, and I see how our love grew as we found out just exactly what we were made of! Or better yet, Who we were made of. I see how He was teaching us to trust Him, to really, fully, completely trust Him, giving into His will no questions asked.

Time after time I can trace back and see, that no matter the trial or hardship, He was there and in the end, I can see all of the stones which He laid out in a sweet path for us to take. We learned and were blessed, so very, very blessed indeed! Only in Jesus can we see the absolute joy amidst the crisis, only in Jesus. My scarred heart looks back and is overflowing with thanksgiving at the joy of knowing Him, the joy of seeing all that He has done for me and it is pure joy that makes my heart completely overflow. Trials . . .with Jesus. . . . pure joy!

Psalms 107:28-30 Habakkuk 3:17-19 Acts 5:41-42 James 1:2-4

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