COUNT IT ALL JOY

"Count it all joy...when you face trials of many kinds..." James 1:2

"We are more than conquerors..."  Romans 8:37

    Sometimes when we read the words of those (such as the Apostle Paul or the martyrs of the Reformation) who have gone before us and have truly been "more than conquerors," we feel almost despondent.  "I could never be like that," we feel. But we forget that they won victory step by step; by little acts of will, little denials of self, little inward victories, by faithfulness in very little things they became what they were.  We often fail to see these little hidden steps, and only see their final accomplishment; but even so, those small steps were taken before final victory was reached.  There is no sudden triumph, no spiritual maturity that is the work of a moment.  So let us all take courage; not one of us is too weak to be made more than a conqueror if we daily rely upon our Lord.

    Pastor Monod, in speaking of "Count it all joy," uses the illustration of one whose physical force is developed by carrying heavy burdens.  He takes the words of the Apostle James to mean that there is something in each trial which God uses to perfect our strength: "Let us leave God to do His own work.  He will not allow us to suffer in vain," or give us more than we, with His help, can bear.

    Can we find a promise that if we follow the Lord Jesus Christ, life will be easy?  I think we shall find not one.  But we shall find ever so many promises assuring us that however things are, we may count on His strength to make us brave, and His peace to keep our hearts at rest.

    Because this is so, our Lord and Captain expects us to be "sons of valor" (2 Samuel 2:7).  God is saying to each of us, what King David said long ago to his friends, "Now let your hands be strengthened and be valiant," ~ be sons of valor and courage!

Amy Carmichael

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” Jas. 1:2-4 MSG