Joy in Tribulation

"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. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

-James 1:2-5 (NKJV)

Joy in tribulation, that's what God asks of us. As humans though, what we are best at is not finding joy in our tribulations... but wallowing in our own self pity. I have to confess, I throw some of the best pity parties this planet has seen. I know it, my friends know it, my family knows it... and God knows it. It is so easy to feel sorry for ourselves and complain, but lately, I have been wondering where any of my self pity gets me? Sure, it gets me sympathy from those of my friends who are patient enough to put up with me. But it doesn't help me to resolve my issues or bring me any inner peace.

I had been throwing one of the most epic, Great Gatsby esque, pity parties of my career this last month. Granted, it wasn't like I didn't have a reason, I had been hit hard; I was an emotional mess, I had no idea if I was coming or going. But after awhile, it got to the point that it was just easier to stay in my own little pool of self pity, than to actually woman up and pull myself out of it.

Then I read Romans 5:3-5 in my daily devotions, similar to the passage in James quoted above... yet slightly less eloquent, it hit me. God hated my pity parties. Instead of acknowledging that this was something that the creator of the whole universe had planned to have me go through, and learn from, I was lying on the ground pouting and wondering why this happened to me; I didn't deserve this. The fact is, I deserve nothing. That phrase is something we say to ourselves in our self pity to feel better.

I am a sinful creature blessed to be saved by God's perfect and beautiful grace, and that perfect father commands me to find what He wants me to learn from my hardships, and be happy about it. Even with this realization, I am not saying it gets easier, self pity is a default setting for most humans. However, it convicted me so strongly that I did a complete 180 and pulled myself out of my pity puddle with a determination to dry myself off.

The beautiful thing is though, God doesn't expect us to handle things on our own. He gives us trials, but He also gives us the perfect support system... and that support system is His loving kindness. God promises His children that He will never leave or forsake us, and that is a beautiful promise that we can be assured will never be broken. All we have to do is give our worries up to God, and trust in Him and His perfect will... and everything will fall into place as He sees fit, in a way that is most likely better than anything we could have imagined for ourselves.

#Bible #James #Joy #Tribulation #Faith #God #Romans