Inspired by . . . Day 13: Count it all JOY
This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY
You may access all the past days by clicking here.
My brethren, count it all JOY when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4
This is a hard word from James to us today. But if we want to receive the JOY that Jesus prayed for us to have, then we must bend our will to it. The process of becoming Christ-like is not an easy one. We have been crucified with Christ, and so to enter into His JOY means that we must also enter into His suffering.
The sanctified life means that we begin to understand God
and to manifest the life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh. ~Oswald Chambers
To endure suffering is hard enough, but to be patient with it is truly a test of our faith.
Remember when the Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in all their greatness, and offered to give Jesus all of it, if He would just bow down and worship him? Curious, isn’t it that Satan was offering Jesus what He already possessed. Have you ever wondered about that?
What the Devil was offering Jesus was the opportunity to forgo the cross. All this can be yours, he was saying, without the suffering, without the humiliation of the cross.
Don’t be fooled, dear one, Satan offers us the very same thing today when we are suffering! He may whisper it to you quietly, “There is another, easier, way.” Or he may shout it out, like Job’s wife, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Either way, I pray we respond as Jesus did: "Go away, Satan! The scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him!' "
Stand strong in your faith, dear one.
Let patience have its perfect work.
The JOY of the Lord is your strength.
All that lies dark and obscure just now is one day going to be as clear,
as radiantly and JOYously clear, as the bit we have seen.
No wonder God counsels us to be patient.
Little by little everything will be brought into the light
until we understand as Jesus Christ understood.
If we understand God on any one point we will know something of the JOY that Jesus had.
It is a wonderful possession, it is the very characteristic of Jesus. ~Oswald Chamber
Blessings,
Quotations taken from Our Brilliant Heritage, © Discovery House Publishers
#write31days
Sharing inspiration here:
Amen! Good post! Resist the devil and he will flee.
ReplyDeleteNice photos as well.
"to enter into His JOY means that we must also enter into His suffering" - this is definitely a hard one. But only in the temporary. I pray to have a long-term outlook on it! Thanks for this today, June. Your series has been awesome.
ReplyDeleteLearning more about WHO God is is helping me trust Him more and this is helping me walk through the tough times with greater JOY and peace. The fruit of the Spirit is available to us. But it's a choice...to walk in the flesh or to trust God and die to self.
ReplyDeleteWe cheapen His grace and gifts by refusing to walk through tough times, by trying to find an "easier" way. His way is perfect, even if the refining fires hurt.
Hi Joy! I know I rely on that promise that all will come the good someday. I know that there are many things going on in my life that would be a stretch to feel joyful about. At least in a worldly way. I think it takes a whole new perspective for me to move to joy in troubles. Knowing that God has me, and will not let go is really what I hang on to...in the hopes that he will bless me with joy and that new perspective I need!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing a really nice job on the topic of joy this month. I am enjoying the posts.
Ceil
Beautiful and encouraging post….Only when we focus on the face of Jesus do we feel His joy and peace. But it is definitely a conscious decision moment to moment to keep that focus….
ReplyDeleteJune, wonderful post!! How greatly I have been encouraged with your words today! JOY is my Word for 2014, and God is teaching me so much about what it means. And, more often than not, joy is truly found in suffering. For it is then, when we discover how much we need and want God - only God, then we discover that joy is found in that humble submitting to Him.
ReplyDeleteGo away, enemy of my soul. For JOY is found in Jesus, Only You!
GOD BLESS!
The joy of the Lord is our strength. YES! AMEN!
ReplyDeleteAnd His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
How grateful I am ...
Excellent devotion and lovely photos! We have trials ahead of us, it will be a wonderful reward when we are with Him at last! God bless you this week!
ReplyDelete