Not If, But When Scripture Reading – James 1:2 - 3 (NLT)

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles 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." 

Where did the kind of so called Christian teaching come from that promises if you come to Jesus that everything will be rosy in your life for three score and ten (that would be 70) years, and then you would happily fall asleep in Jesus? Certainly not the Bible! For the teaching of the Word of God is not, 'If But When' - troubles come your way.

So rather than asking the most pressing questions when we have them of: why, what's wrong, or God where are you? Why not just accept the fact that as long as we are living on planet earth, we will have them, and at times plenty of them.

The question in today's text is not if we will have trouble, but rather what will we do when we have them, time and time again? The advice from God's Word is that we are to take it as an opportunity to rejoice in them. Yes - rejoice, meaning - to experience joy and gladness in a high degree. How exactly can this be?

Only if by faith we realize that God our Father is indeed not only with us, but even, or especially in these times of troubles, testings and trials - He is maturing, strengthening and growing us.

Some believer's have called these times of trouble, 'grace-growers' - and I must confess I like that. For I need God's grace to be upon me in the time of trouble, in order that by faith I can rejoice and count these as great joy from the hand of my loving Father.

And if there is a lesson to be learned in these few verses I believe it is this. The more in His grace we choose to rejoice, yes even to consider all things great joy, knowing that He is with us - the more we will be strengthened and grow into the very image of Jesus who loves us so. Remember Jesus our Lord, who told us that daily there would be a cross that each one of us as His followers would have to pick up and carry. But His grace will always be more than enough. 

Prayer My Father, today I rejoice for Your good hand of provision and protection over my life. In Jesus name I do take up my cross and follow, for there is my freedom, my liberty, my joy, both now and forevermore through Jesus Christ my Lord. 

Memory Verse:  Romans 8:28 NLT “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose."