Count it All Joy

Stephen Russell

James • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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James 1:2-12

Introduction

The book of James is often viewed as disconnected and even random.

But we hope to show (as Marshall already has last month) some connecting themes throughout the book.

In our first passage in our series this morning we see that connectedness as we look down to verse 12.

It brings us right back to the subject of verse 2 which, in fact, is the subject we never left.

Count It Joy

Various or varied gives us the sense of quality not quantity (Jas. 1:2).

So we are being called to joy at a time that would naturally produce anything but joy (Job 5:7; Ecc. 2:17).

This is THE issue of our text today.

It isn’t just to endure and survive trial (thought that is certainly necessary as well).

The call here is to do far more than that, to count it joy.

The answer is not in having some shallow positive mental attitude about it all.

This isn’t some empty optimism that says things are sure to pick up just around the corner.

This is “learn to suffer well.”

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” - James Stockdale

This is what we will be talking about.

Not learning to live in denial or ignore your current reality.

But rather to look trials squarely and honestly in the face not with grim determination, but joyful determination.

Knowing what it Produces

There are several things to know here.

Trials test our loyalty, commitment, our faith (Jas. 1:3).

Test means, whether it will stand (that is one way it is tested).

But here it seems more to refer to the testing that burns away weakness (refining process).

It is about improving or purifying our faith.

So in this way, it is about perspective. But it isn’t just fooling yourself, it is seeing it from a true perspective.

How do men deal with some of the grueling regimens they willingly subject themselves to?

It is because of what it promises to produce.

It is about looking forward and keeping your gaze set forward to that outcome.

Don’t get stuck in the moment (Heb. 12:11).

Submit to the Process

Our immediate reaction to a trial is to find the quickest exit strategy (and that isn’t always wrong). God isn’t asking us to enjoy the pain itself here (Jas. 1:4).

But there are trials that simply must be faced.

But the submission isn’t passive submission here.

You are going through a trial. The last thing you need to do is hang your head and say I give up.

Submit to the terms of the trial and meet it head on with the knowledge that it is taking you closer to where you want to be.

This is a submission that keeps you from being a helpless victim of the trial (Matt. 5:39-43).

You move from avoidance to submission with resolve (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

You are working with God in this trial.

Trust Him Completely

That brings us to the next part that is critical to all of this.

You have to trust God’s part in all of this.

This is part of our mindset about the trial being a test. There is a test giver (1 Cor. 10:13).

He is at the helm and He has purpose.

He is the potter and He is fashioning and our response will determine what we are fashioned into (Jer. 18:1-12).

First he says if you need wisdom, then ask God who will surely give it.

Now, what does that mean.

How do we inquire of God (Matt. 6:11; 2 Thess. 3:10).

But you have to be commited or you won’t be able to receive what He offers (1 Cor. 2:14; Matt. 11:25).

Go to the highest echelons of academia and see what they tell you.

None of it means anything and none of it has any purpose.

It is all the result of chance collisions of atoms and it is a purposeless process that has no meaning past the moment.

All suffering in this instance is useless is should be avoided at all costs.

It is one thing to be uncertain about what a passage means, it is another thing entirely to be uncertain about whether a passage is true.

So you remain confident in Him and in His wisdom (Psa. 37:1-7).

No Matter What Your Trials Look Like

This brings us to the last section of our text where we get some application (Jas. 1:9-11).

This is where it can really begin to feel like we have jumped onto another train of thought.

We went from talking about trials to talking about wealth and poverty.

But let’s put this back into context.

So poverty is one form of trial. It isn’t just a trial, it is a state of trial.

The brother in that circumstance isn’t just supposed to resign himself dejectedly to that life.

He should see and glory in his exaltation in Christ.

Here is instruction on putting all of this into action. Look past your present circumstance and see the bigger picture.

On the converse, the brother of wealth is not to glory in his wealth but glory when he is brought low.

So the lowly brother has trouble finding joy, or glory.

While the wealthy brother has trouble knowing where the real joy is.

Which one of those do you think we are gonna struggle with.

We desperately need this instruction because our trials are most often disruptions of our generally prosperous circumstances.

Far from complaining and gritting our teeth to bear it, we need to see those are the times where we have a real opportunity.

Conclusion

You may be undergoing tremendous trials.

You may be undergoing relatively small trials.

The question is, are you passing the test? Are they making you better, or breaking you down?

God gives you a path that not only helps you survive trials, but to find advantage in them and therefore joy.

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