“Rejoice – Always?” Part 3

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3).

James’ command solely addresses born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ – “My brethren” – because only those inhabited by the Holy Spirit can possibly rejoice in losses, pains, sorrows, heartaches and heartbreaks.

“We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:11).

The Apostle Paul confirms that true rejoicing occurs as the result of a Divine presence and working within our hearts – “in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Only thereby can we expect and experience joy where it seems it could not be, or in terms expressed by the Apostle Peter, “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (I Peter 1:8). Yes, just as there is a “peace which passeth all understanding,” there is a joy that defies description, a joy that appears where, again, it seems it could not be (Philippians 4:7).

James provides vivid insight into how we enter into such wonder. He calls us to “count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations.” Note that he doesn’t command that we “feel” it all joy. Few more important truths present themselves to us in Scripture than this illumination that joy is not first a matter of emotion, but of reasoned and determined faith. The word “count” is translated from the Greek root, “hegeomai,” meaning to lead with thoughtful and reasoned consideration.

Herein lies a beautiful insight into our relationship with God regarding true joy. By definition, Christians do not lead themselves – “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). We do, however, respond to our Lord’s leadership – “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1). Therefore, when James commands that we rejoice by a reasoned and thoughtful leadership, he calls us first to direct our attention unto our Leader. We “look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Then, with remembrance and consideration of who He is, we make the choice to rejoice as a matter of faith, whatever we may feel emotionally. In times of trouble and difficulty, our Good and Great Shepherd beckons us to a field of joy. “Come with Me. I know where your rejoicing is. Trust Me and follow.” As we consider His perfect faithfulness and respond, we find ourselves rejoicing as a matter of deep conviction long before we reach that supposed “field of joy.” Indeed, we discover that which the Psalmist long ago experienced, namely, that God Himself is the essence of true joy: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God” (Psalm 61:10).

Joy often expresses itself in happy feelings. Let us give thanks for those blessed times. The essence of joy, however, resides not in our emotions, but in God Himself and in our response of faith to who He is. Those who consistently “count it all joy” know this blessed truth of a rejoicing that can be known wherever, whenever, and in whatever.

“O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.” (Psalm 43:3-4)

Tomorrow: the effects of “count it all joy.”

“Rejoice – Always?” Part 2

Many years ago, before we realized we would be husband and wife, Frances and I often frequented a restaurant after church on Sunday nights. As friends and as young believers, we’d talk about the Lord, His involvement in our lives, and whatever else came to mind.

One evening, Frances commented that she believed the Lord was teaching her to “count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations” (James 1:2). I responded, “Oh, it doesn’t mean that.”

Frances, understandably, was taken aback. “What do you mean, it doesn’t mean that?” she asked.

“Well, I’m not quite sure what it means. But I know for certain that it cannot possibly mean that we can count everything as all joy!”

Frances was not, as those of you who know her can imagine, satisfied with my condescending response. “So, you don’t know what it means to count it all joy when we experience troubles and difficulties?” I recall her looking me right in the eye as she asked the question.

This made me a bit nervous (you don’t want Frances to look you right in the eyes after you’ve been condescending, I can assure you!). I cleared my throat again, this time nervously. “Well, well, no, I can’t say what it means”. Frances pressed the issue. “But you say it doesn’t mean what it actually says?” She had me, of course, and I attempted a stuttering response, from which my future wife saved me by continuing to look me right in the eyes and then declaring, “I’ll tell you what. Until you can tell me what it means that James commands we count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations, I think I’ll just take God’s Word at face value!”

More than three and half decades later, Frances still takes this mandate of Scripture at face value, exemplifying and affirming it in countless challenges and trials. Moreover, I came around not too long after the above episode, agreeing that this command of Scripture means what it says, and actually promises one of the most miraculous assurances made to us by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, if God can justifiably and fairly command that we view difficulties, distresses, disasters and even catastrophes as “all joy,” He must know that He possesses the capacity to reveal and enable His joy in all things.

We’ll consider the details and outworking of this truth in messages to come. For now, let us simply realize that our Lord believes (knows) He can enable us to rejoice at all times and in all things. We must increasingly join Him, affirming confidence in His confidence. Indeed, there is no pit deep enough that the light of God’s joy cannot penetrate to illuminate. Dungeons, dark valleys, crosses, sickbeds, gravesides and dark nights through the ages all resound with this truth, as countless echoes of praise and thanksgiving from such strange places bear witness. In this present hour, believers testify of experiencing God’s joy even as tears fall from their faces and sorrow wracks their hearts – “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (II Corinthians 6:10).

I’m so glad that one of those faithful saints bore such witness in that evening so long ago. I’m so glad that I married her! I rejoice all the more that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knows Himself and His ability with such confidence that He can command us to rejoice where and when joy seems impossible…

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18) “Our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.” (Psalm 33:21)

“Rejoice – Always?” Part 1

     In Philippi, the Apostle Paul, with his freedom, the skin of his back, and his ministry apparently stripped away, “prayed and sang praises unto God” with his fellow servant Silas (Acts 16:25).  From a Roman prison, the same Paul commanded believers to “rejoice in the Lord alway, and again, I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).  He repeats the admonition in his first epistle to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice evermore” (I Thessalonians 5:16).  Thus, by both example and command, Paul encourages and challenges us with the Christ-enabled potential to know God’s joy in all things and at all times.
 
    Human understanding scoffs at such a notion.  Fleshly reasoning perceives joy as the fruit of pleasant and desirable circumstance, situation, and condition.  Our experience seems to confirm, as pain and difficulty foster in us thoughts, emotions, and physical sensibilities that seem to escort joy to the exit door of our hearts.  Rather than rejoice when trouble comes, our natural tendency seems to coincide far more with the plaintive sigh of the Psalmist, “I mourn in my complaint” (Psalm 55:2).
 
    This raises a challenging intellectual issue for committed born again believers.  We believe a Bible filled with commands to rejoice always.  Moreover, the Word of God promises the possibility and power in Christ to do so, providing both examples and assurances that joy can be known in prisons no less than palaces.  Therefore, if joy cannot be known in all things, we must – and if intellectually honest, we should – close our Bible, proceed to our trash receptacle, and deposit the sham of this false and dangerous document therein.  Better to live in the light of reality, sad as it may be, than to participate in a fantasy that creates false expectations at best, and insane delusion at worst.
 
    If, however, we know in our hearts that God’s Word is in fact God’s Word, we must face the difficult truth about joy, namely, that through Christ we can “rejoice in the Lord always” and “evermore.”  And, let us be honest: this is a difficult truth.  Our flesh resists the notion of joy based not on circumstances, situations, and conditions.   Even more, our spiritual enemies mock the possibility of “always” and “evermore” joy.  They point to past failure - “You didn’t rejoice then!”  They create possibilities of future disaster and catastrophe – “What if that happens?!”  Perhaps most discouragingly, they emphasize our present dilemma – “can you really say you’re rejoicing in this?!”  Indeed, the challenges of the world, the devil and the flesh concerning joy confront us with savage ferocity because the joyful believer does such harm to their nefarious purposes (e.g. – the aforementioned Apostle Paul as a chief example).
 
    What are we to do about joy?  Our first step as believers is to believe.  That is, we must doctrinally and personally build an altar within our hearts whereupon we sacrifice the devilish and fleshly notion that circumstances, situations and conditions determine our rejoicing.  They influence it, of course, but they do not determine whether we obey God in the matter of joy.  Indeed, failure to “rejoice in the Lord always” often proceeds from failure to establish as a matter of personal principle that the Lord Jesus is able to reveal His joy in us at all times, and in all things.  Repentance will accompany the building of this heart altar, leading to the establishment of faith and expectation that God’s joy awaits us whether we venture to palace or prison…
 
“Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.”
(Jeremiah 15:16)
 
Tomorrow: “Count it all joy.”