2)
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall
into divers temptations;
3)
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4)
But let patience have her perfect work, that
ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5)
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6)
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.
For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed.
7)
For let not that man think that he shall
receive any thing of the Lord.
8)
A double minded man is unstable in all his
ways.
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Word of God admonishes us to count anything that comes our way as “Joy.” The
Lord instructs us to do so because He understands that if we look at those
things that seem negative according the natural eye, then there is a tendency
for us to view such events and circumstances as undesirable or undeserving. If
we let our thoughts linger on what seems to be “bad,” then our actions thereafter
will follow our mind. Then it can be said we have the power within ourselves to
be happy or sad.
The
Bible states that whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap. Therefore, if we sow complaints, sorrow and sadness, then that is
what we will reap or what we have destined to come our way. Therefore, a wise
man will not plant self-pity and remorse if he wishes joy. Don’t plant what you
do not wish to reap.
The
fear or reverence of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So again, it is the
wise man who will reflect on the Word when things appear to go awry and find
solace in the fact that God has a good purpose in all that comes to His saints.
If
we understand the method God uses to make us in His image, then we will
discontinue to put a face to the problems that come
our way, but simply respond with AMEN. We will put an end to trying to get even
with someone or not always be in a self-protective or defensive state. If we
count our days and events as “joy” we will not allow trials and temptations to
cause us to retreat into the mind-set of the flesh. Such wisdom will confuse
the enemy when he knows that we will not stagger at his empty promises to
fulfill the desire of the flesh, the eyes and the pride of life.
Such
lies are just the same diversion tactics Satan tried with the Lord; so it
is not surprising that he will attempt the same with the people of God. Even
in such temptation, Jesus was patient and possessed His soul. His example
and that of those throughout the Bible demonstrate that trials and tests work
patience in the saints and cause us to mature in the Lord. It is a promise
that the “real” children of God will be persecuted and not be persecutors.
Jesus has already prayed for His own who are in the
world but not of the world. With His Spirit in us, we are able to count all
things as Joy and see the end result of Joy manifested in the harvest of new
souls.