Down in my heart, I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy
Down in my heart to stay.*
What does it mean to be joyful in the middle sorrow? What does it mean to be joyful in the middle of a conflict? What does it mean to have joy when the world is going crazy? What in the world did James mean when he wrote, "Consider it all joy, brothers when you encounter all sorts of trials." He was the Pastor of the church in Jerusalem.
Everyone has gone through trials. Some are bigger than others, but none of them are pleasant at the time. When I was in the eighth grade, I had two horses. Blaze was a Morgan, and my other horse was Appaloosa. I had Blaze two years before my second horse (correct I can't remember his name. He wasn't with us that long). Blaze was a great horse, but he also had his moments. He could be headstrong and once in a while would bolt toward the stables. I didn't have the strength to reign him in. Through low hanging tree limbs, across paved roads, jumping over ditches, and all I could do was hang on. With my heart pounding and my arms wrapped around his neck, these words slipped through my lips, "this is pure joy!"
On the contrary, the things I was screaming had little to do with joy. In the moment of trials, it is difficult to see through its fog and embrace the joy that God wants us to have. It is before the trial comes or afterward, that we prepare our hearts. No one likes talking about death or accidents. We whitewash life for our children, and the result is that when trials come they think it should never happen to them. The reality isn't, "why do bad things happen, " but "why don't they happen more often."
I paid $100 for my second horse, and he was tall and proud. The horse never liked standing still, and when you put a bridle in his mouth, his feet began to move. He just wanted to run, and that's why he was so cheap. The prior owner couldn't control him,was knocked off and paralyzed. I knew going in that this horse had a greater potential to hurt me then Blaze ever did. I was prepared for the worse. When I mounted him, I never gave him a slack reign. He pranced and bucked, but I never lost control. As long as I held him under control, then he was a joy to ride.
My brother didn't have the same kind of control, and when the horse wanted to run, he thought, "I'll let you." He ran the horse until it dropped dead. When you are unprepared for trials, your first reaction is critical, your emotions run away with you. "it's not fair." “God must not be living." "why is he doing this to me?" "I'm not going to believe in a God like that." Trials have shipwrecked many people's faith because they never thought it could happen to them.
When we believe that Christians are above feeling the pain of trials, we need to watch our faith. But trials are a part of living in a sin-cursed world. People get sick and die. Disease can infect our bodies. Economies can collapse, and we can lose our jobs. Babies can be born with a disability. Spouses cheat, children rebel, friends turn on us, and the church can fail us. When we grasp that conflict is a way of life and start to see how God uses them to shape our character, we can find joy.
"(ESV) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4.
Sit down with your children, your spouse, or your friends and talk about the hard things of life. Share with your children how God is good even through the roughest times. Then remember from where God has brought you rejoice. I'm just saying.
*(I've Got the Joy | Hymnary.org. https://hymnary.org/text/i_have_the_joy_joy_joy_joy_down_in_my_h)
*(James 1: 2-4 ESV - Testing of Your Faith - Count it all .... https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A+2-4&version=ESV)
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