Joy and Pain

Joy and Pain

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3 NIV

It is only in God that both joy and pain can comfortably exist side by side. It is only in God that we are encouraged to view pain as an avenue to rejoice. It is a bit difficult for the carnal man to understand in what way pain can lead a man to joy, but what God says here is instructive for us, as we seek to focus on those things that are important for our present and our eternity.

God does not seek to make us comfortable.  That is not his ultimate goal; His desire is that we be like him everyday, through all the things he allows in our lives. His ultimate desire is not that we amass possessions and wealth,  but that we impact lives through the lessons we learn from his school. If wealth comes, good, but with wealth fro God comes a plethora of lessons that will teach you the purpose and application of all that God gives you.

When trials, tribulations and hard times come, what do you focus on: the pain or the lessons?  When things don't go according to plan, how do you pick yourself up and apply yourself to the lessons God intends that you learn from them?  How can you see joy when all that others see is pain and suffering?  One thing is clear: it is a focus on God alone that will influence what you feel or think; it is a focus on God that will get you through the pain into the purpose. It is an understanding of who you belong to that will determine how you respond and how you grow into God’s ultimate goal for your life. Joseph never forgot whose he was : whether in the pit, in Potiphar's house, in the prison or in the palace, he carried along with him the presence of God everywhere he went. It then means that it is not really about what you go through but who you go with that really matters. Man can only support and assist you within their own means; a man can only lift you to the level and length of his arms. God has everlasting arms, able to sustain us all through this present life and still guarantee us eternity.

Today, rejoice that you are in God. No matter what your externals say, your internal is the determinant of your attitude and outlook. His time of favour is here