Count It All Joy

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

-James 1:2-4

I have recently started following the #SheReadsTruth Bible reading plan. I follow a few bloggers on Twitter who were involved and after months of hearing about it I finally started following along a few months ago (I highly reccomend it!). We recently started a study of James and the verse above struck me deep in my heart.

We are all very quick to rush through our pain. I know that after Emerson passed I was quick to say, "I just want to be happy again" or "I'm tired of being sad". What I really meant was that I wanted it all to go away. I wanted to live in my la-la land where everything was perfect. I couldn't have been farther off from God's plan for us. God wanted me to endure the pain and struggle. He wanted me to learn and grow and come out on the other side a different person than I was.

God is not a mean god. In truth, He couldn't be more loving. He put us through the valleys so that we have the strength to one day reach the tops of those mountains and cry praises to Him all the way. Those lowest points have already brought perseverance and in the when the work is finished there will be maturity and a complete heart, because that's the way He works. 

Praise to Him for creating beauty out of pain. 

Praise to Him for showing me how to consider it all pure joy.