Counting It All Joy

Analysis of Joy

This is a rich word in Greek implying steadfastness, fortitude, constancy, persistent determination, strong consistency, and staying power. The best translation might be “heroic endurance.” Standing the trials of life produces more than a passive patience or a cynical resignation; it gives (in the words of the hymn by William H. Bathurst) “a faith that will not shrink, tho’ pressed by every foe.”

1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

But even this heroic endurance is not an end within itself. It must be allowed to finish its work, to grow into “perfection” (τέλειος, teleios, a word James uses more often than any other New Testament writer). Perfection in the New Testament does not mean without flaw or error but indicates (as translated here in the NIV) maturity and completeness. The perfect person has reached his intended end. Enduring trials thus produces joy because such tests shape believers into the image of Christ. In that image one lacks nothing. Perfection in James is not just the result of our own efforts; it does not come from a “works righteousness.” Instead, it is brought by God and is the end of steadfast obedience. Here James echoes Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount, who urged his hearers, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Section Summary and Application: In his opening lines, James challenges the standards of the world. Worldly wisdom can see no value in suffering. It says pain is to be avoided at all costs, and only pleasure brings happiness. By contrast, to Christians even trials are a joy because they lead us to maturity in Christ. Christians judge value quite differently than the world does. To us the highest value is not freedom from pain but a faith that perseveres. The suffering that life brings, although bad in itself, can be turned by God into pure joy.

Text:

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

James 1:1–4 ESV

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Intro:

When a person obeys the gospel of Christ, their expectation of this life on earth is not to be full of so much pain and hurting. Since Jesus counted it joy to endure the cross and the Christians in James are suffering and James pleads with them to “Count it all joy”.

Today many Christians miss the “blessing of joy” in a trail and opp out after suffer painful experiences caused by a world of trouble, us creating our own trouble by the flesh and it’s lust and the devil making trouble for us.

The trouble been here all the time and ain’t going anywhere soon.

Job come to the conclusion that trouble is here to stay, therefore trails and temptations are here to stay as well.

Job 14:1 ESV

1 “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

Three Reasons To Count It All Joy In My Trials

1. God Is The Tester In The Trial.

2. Purpose of the Trial is to Strengthen My Faith Not Shrink my Faith

3. When I am Weak I am Strong.

2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.