Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4
New Living Translation
When trouble enters life it is easy for us to have a pity party or “wallow in self pity.” It’s hard to find anything good in your day when you wake up in the morning already deciding life stinks. Self pity destroys life and brings you down when, for a Christian, trials should strengthen you.
When troubles come into a Christians life, they are an opportunity to test your endurance, faith, and trust. If you give into the wallowing, you won’t learn anything and will become depressed and weak. However, if you take this difficult part of life and choose to find joy despite everything, you will become closer to God.
God didn’t make us to be sad and down all the time. He designed us to be joyful, glad for the life He gifted us.
The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. Proverbs 13:9
New Living Translation
Godly men and women stand out because they have joy when the world thinks they should be upset. When it seems like life steals everything from us, we still have something worth rejoicing over; salvation in Jesus.
Why is salvation worth celebrating even when times are tough?
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10
New Living Translation
Salvation wasn’t earned. When we receive saving grace, we are accepting a gift we could never deserve. What more could we ask for? We are freely given a gift we don’t deserve and that we can never earn. Nothing life throws at us can take away the greatness of this.
I realize that it is difficult to be joyful when finances are low, people are bad mouthing you, and nothing seems to be going right. Trust me, I have and am there in the difficulties of life. I admit, it is challenging to keep positive. However, God is helping me to learn and grow so that I can remember He is more than enough reason to be joyful.
Remember, when nothing in life seems worth rejoicing, praise God for being more than enough for every moment in life.
