GodSprings - 21, April, 2018

When Through/in Trials - Happiness or Joy?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds .
James 1:2

Luther Bridgers was an American songwriter and minister (pastor). In the year 1910 he left home to conduct some revival meetings in another town. Two weeks went by. After the last meeting, he went to his hotel room to sleep. But he was awakened by a phone call at midnight at about 1 am. “Is this Mr. Bridges?” asked the police officer on the other end. He responded in affirmative. The officer said, “Well we are sorry to tell you that your house caught fire tonight, and your wife and children have burned to death.”

The zealous preacher was taken aback. He stood in shattered silence still holding the receiver and trying to come in terms with the news he just heard. Luther later said that this was the time when he felt like the Devil laughing at him and saying, “God doesn’t love you. Are you going to worship a God like that?” But Dr. Bridgers dropped to his knees and began to pray earnestly. He prayed, “Lord I have preached the gospel to other people and told them it would comfort them in every hour of sorrow. Grant that this same gospel may comfort me.” Not only did God answer his prayer, but through that painful experience Dr. Bridgers faith was renewed and strengthened so much that he penned the words to this lovely hymn.

There's within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low:
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
in all of life's ebb and flow.

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
sweetest name I know,
fills my every longing,
keeps me singing as I go.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YIan96NyCw)

As James begins his letter he starts with something all humans who are born into this world face. No matter you are rich or poor, powerful or weak, big or small all have their own share of troubles and trials. It is clear in the way James brings forth this fact. James does not say that if you face trials, but whenever you face trials. In our journey of life we need to expect trials because today we might be in the middle of a trial or just coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial.

Warren Wiersbe in his commentary on James titled Be Mature says “We cannot always expect everything to go our way. But when trials come our outlook determines outcome and attitude determines action.”

This might be the reason why James says we need to count it all joy. The word count is hegeomai in Greek means to evaluate. One of the best examples would be Paul. When Paul became a Christian he evaluated his life and set new goals and priorities. Things that were once important to him became garbage in the life of his experience with Christ.

But to have a correct evaluation we need to change the way we look and give value to. If we value comfort more than character then trials are surely going to hurt us. If on the other hand we value the material and physical more than the spiritual then we will not be able to count it all joy. In short James says that we need to be trained to be good accountants to know what to place on each side of the ledger.

We often miss the mark because we ask the wrong question. We always ask others and ourselves – What makes me happy? James is aware of this folly that we tend to make and so he says not to be happy but to be joyful.

Joy and happiness isn’t one and the same. Happiness is circumstantial. Joy on the other hand is a supernatural delight. It comes from God. We don’t have it in ourselves to be joyful. When James tells us to consider it all joy he is wanting us to get God’s heart in the matters of trial. He is simply asking us to reach out to God.

What will I choose today? To be happy or to be joyful? Happiness is just for a moment but joy is for a lifetime and for that we need to reach out to God. May we all strive for a joyful life rather than a happy life.