James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

A high school friend requested prayers for patience on her FaceBook feed the other day. Has she lost her mind??? I KNOW she knows this verse! We grew up together! I replied I would pray but not for patience as this would only get her more trouble and she currently has her hands full with a husband recovering from open heart surgery. I included the laughing emoji but I was serious! She accepted my prayers for strength and healing with grace and replied “What was I thinking?”

Joy in trials. This is a concept difficult to grasp. Joy is NOT happiness. JOY is very different from happiness. Joy is a choice you make: A deliberate decision to choose joy despite what your circumstances (which are often devastating) may be at any given moment.. Happiness is a natural result of something good.

• Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; written by Paul agrees with James the brother of Jesus in saying problems is what builds patience in us. But, I thought patience was a fruit of the Holy Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith,23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Fruit must be cultivated. UGH…. Why can’t it just be a gift? You know, no work required………

Several years ago while in the depths of grief I began to learn this principle of Scripture. Choosing joy actually begins in choosing thankfulness in all things. I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Giving thanks is not saying “thank you for cancer.” Giving thanks in a season of cancer is saying, “Lord, I thank you for the many blessings I am seeing in this season of cancer.” It is finding the silver lining in the very dark storm clouds of my life. It is a choice to FOCUS on what remains that is good, the faithfulness of God in the past, and trusting Him with the future. It is the holding onto the promise of “all things work together for good to those who love the LORD and are called according to His purpose.” (emphasis mine) Romans 8:28

If you have been hanging out with us here you know my favorite Greek word is eucharisteo. A word chock full of meaning and it took me on a journey not yet complete. I am still dissecting this word and all it means and the Holy Spirit continues to unfold layers of revelation into this joy. It is a hard fought battle for joy. “It was a year long slug fest,” to quote Brene’ Brown. Joy is learned from others and modeled by those who went to the mat but there was not TKO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29h7HUcJus

I got the Joy, Joy, Joy Down In My Heart

As kids we sang this song and it always brought a smile. It’s message timeless.