Why take joy in trials?
To a non-Christian the concept of taking joy in trials is nonsensical. Trials and hardships are a time for mourning and self-pity when we question the injustice of life. For a Christian, trials are to be the complete opposite.
BAC's are human and have human emotion, therefore it is inevitable that trials and hardship will be accompanied by negative feelings such as sadness, loneliness and anger. Yet even when experiencing these emotions we should be taking joy in our trials.
James 1:2-3 "My Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."
We are told in James that through our trials our faith is tested, which produces patience - a fruit of the spirit. Therefore, James is saying that by enduring trials we strengthen one of our Godly characteristics.
In another sense, through our trials we are brought closer to God.
As beings we are made up of body and soul (and mind, but let's leave that for now). Our body is fleshly and our soul is spiritual. There is a constant war between the two; the body wants to be satisfied by worldly things, whereas the soul wants to grow spiritually with God. When the body is given what it wants the soul is made weaker and we become distant from God. When the soul is given what it wants the body becomes weaker and we become closer to God.
2 Corinthians 12:10 states ..."for when I am weak, then I am strong."
This verse encapsulates exactly why we should take joy in trials. Because when we are experiencing hardships, our bodies are weak. As a result we come to rely more upon God and draw nearer to Him. Therefore, to look at 2 Corinthians 12:10 again: "When I (our body) am weak, then I (our spirit) am strong."
We should take joy in trials because it causes us to rely upon God, or rather cling to God because we cannot overcome the hardship in our own strength.
It is no surprise then that 2 Corinthians 12:10 is in fact looking at experiencing trials:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am Strong."
When we hear about the 'thorn in the flesh' that Paul had, mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-8, we come to the conclusion that this existed to keep Paul from becoming to big-headed. To an extent, this is correct. However, God does not want us to suffer - rather, Paul counted the thorn in his flesh as a blessing. Without it he would never of relied on God as much as he did.
All throughout the Bible this principle of hardships leading us to rely on God and draw near to Him can be seen.
Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 "Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."
The most obvious example of the concept of taking joy in trials and drawing nearer to God as a result is in the story of Jacob. Jacob was a scheming man, strong in body and always trying to get ahead. We are told in Genesis 32 that Jacob wrestled with God. It is not until God touched Jacob's hip bone, that Jacob had to cling on to the Lord, the result being that God blessed Jacob by renaming him Israel. It was not until Jacob was made 'weak' that he was made 'Strong'.
To a non-Christian, taking joy in trials is admirable but completely foreign to their way of thinking. To a BAC, it is perfectly acceptable and of course understandable to feel low when in trials, yet we should also take joy in those trials and indeed count them as a blessing as they bring us closer to God.
-BACChristian
BAC's are human and have human emotion, therefore it is inevitable that trials and hardship will be accompanied by negative feelings such as sadness, loneliness and anger. Yet even when experiencing these emotions we should be taking joy in our trials.
James 1:2-3 "My Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."
We are told in James that through our trials our faith is tested, which produces patience - a fruit of the spirit. Therefore, James is saying that by enduring trials we strengthen one of our Godly characteristics.
In another sense, through our trials we are brought closer to God.
As beings we are made up of body and soul (and mind, but let's leave that for now). Our body is fleshly and our soul is spiritual. There is a constant war between the two; the body wants to be satisfied by worldly things, whereas the soul wants to grow spiritually with God. When the body is given what it wants the soul is made weaker and we become distant from God. When the soul is given what it wants the body becomes weaker and we become closer to God.
2 Corinthians 12:10 states ..."for when I am weak, then I am strong."
This verse encapsulates exactly why we should take joy in trials. Because when we are experiencing hardships, our bodies are weak. As a result we come to rely more upon God and draw nearer to Him. Therefore, to look at 2 Corinthians 12:10 again: "When I (our body) am weak, then I (our spirit) am strong."
We should take joy in trials because it causes us to rely upon God, or rather cling to God because we cannot overcome the hardship in our own strength.
It is no surprise then that 2 Corinthians 12:10 is in fact looking at experiencing trials:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am Strong."
When we hear about the 'thorn in the flesh' that Paul had, mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-8, we come to the conclusion that this existed to keep Paul from becoming to big-headed. To an extent, this is correct. However, God does not want us to suffer - rather, Paul counted the thorn in his flesh as a blessing. Without it he would never of relied on God as much as he did.
All throughout the Bible this principle of hardships leading us to rely on God and draw near to Him can be seen.
Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 "Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."
The most obvious example of the concept of taking joy in trials and drawing nearer to God as a result is in the story of Jacob. Jacob was a scheming man, strong in body and always trying to get ahead. We are told in Genesis 32 that Jacob wrestled with God. It is not until God touched Jacob's hip bone, that Jacob had to cling on to the Lord, the result being that God blessed Jacob by renaming him Israel. It was not until Jacob was made 'weak' that he was made 'Strong'.
To a non-Christian, taking joy in trials is admirable but completely foreign to their way of thinking. To a BAC, it is perfectly acceptable and of course understandable to feel low when in trials, yet we should also take joy in those trials and indeed count them as a blessing as they bring us closer to God.
-BACChristian
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