My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
—James 1:2–4
God’s end game is our joy not our happiness. Happiness is associated with happenings, happenstance, luck, and fortune. If circumstances are favorable, you are happy; if not, you’re unhappy. Christian joy, however, is directly related to God and is the firm confidence that all is well, regardless of your circumstances.
In America we worship the pursuit of happiness, we should change our focus to joy. If we are looking to happiness, we will believe that a change in our circumstances will make the difference. We will be happy, we believe, if we are a little richer, prettier, lighter, or more liberated. We talk about the American dream, but the country that leads the world in prosperity also leads it in drug use.
It is no accident that the church is flourishing not where it is most content, but where it is most persecuted.
It’s interesting that James connects trials and patience with joy. We look at trials as evidence of a lack of faith. We think if there are storms in our lives we must be doing something wrong. And patience, we warn against praying for patience. We want everything and we want it now.
What we need is a focus on pursuing God; not for what He can give us, but for who He is. We need a greater love for the Giver than the gifts.
We need less happiness and more joy. Such times may be coming. It’s no longer “in” to be a Christian. Some day soon it may not just be unfashionable but intolerable. Our days of good circumstances may be numbered; our days of trial forged joy may be coming.
The joy of the Lord is our strength.
Nick
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