Consider it pure joy - ya right!

James gives a puzzling if not offensive command right at the start of his letter: consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.  And this IS a command – or so the Greek scholars tell us. To be honest, I have always treated this command as a bit of a joke. Whenever I face a trial, I just grit my teeth, mumble “consider it pure joy” and squeeze a hollow laugh from my stress-constricted throat. Consider it pure joy? I mean really!

Yet James seems to think it really important to consider trials as occasions for gladness. As I have already mentioned, this is a command, and it must have been weighing heavily on James’ mind if it was the first thing he wrote about in his letter. In fact, James is not the only advocate of the joy-in-trials proposition. For example, Paul writes in Romans: “...we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings...” (Rom 5:2). It would seem then that if the command is important (and presumably for our own good), we would do well to take it seriously.

The thing I find difficult is trying to feel an emotion of gladness or delight whilst experiencing something that is unpleasant.  How am I to deal with this difficulty?

Notice that James approaches things from a cognitive perspective. If we deal with the mind, the emotions will follow. To begin, James says “consider” or “count” it pure joy. He is referring to an activity of the mind, a process that involves looking beyond the trial to the fruit it will produce. The trial, he says, will develop perseverance, which though desirable in itself, must complete its work if we are to be mature and complete (v3&4). That is to say, the trial will help to supply things that I lack in my quest for transformation. Further, the perseverance I develop during trials proves my faith to be genuine and keeps me in the race until the finish when I will receive the crown of life (v12).

Therefore, looking at the trial itself will not fan joy into flame, for trials are horrible, depressing things.  But reflecting on the effects of the trial may produce a joyful emotion. And wouldn’t you say that this way of thinking is much more productive than the usual thought-tapes we play when facing a trial? “I will get through this trial, and it will make me complete” is a far better and truer thought-tape than, “I can’t do this; I don’t deserve this; this isn’t fair”.

James continues with his cognitive approach in verse 5. Here, he recognises that his readers will require divine wisdom in order to “consider it pure joy” when overwhelmed by a trial. Wisdom is located in the mind. Yet when I have the wisdom to see trials as an occasion for rejoicing, the emotion will follow. And believe me; such wisdom is not natural to us. It must be given to us by God.

So may you begin to reflect on the potential fruit of your current trial. And I hope that you will be able to savour the prospect of greater maturity, delighting in the promise of completeness. But if you are like me and are lacking in wisdom, give God a shout, for He gives generously to all without finding fault (v5).

Cheers for now - Ian