Summer Fruit Devotion: Joy Day 2

Joy in Tribulation

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

Peter, a personal friend, and James, the brother of Jesus were incredibly devastated by his crucifixion. After his resurrection and ascension these men were persecuted for the sake of Christ. They knew trials and testing in a way we can’t really understand in our posh Christian lives. The joy they held onto and the joy they shared with the churches they ministered to was the hope of glory, knowing that testing of faith produces all kinds of fruit in believers lives. Life is messy, and hard and complicated. Nowhere does scripture promise perfect, easy lives as a reward for following Christ. We have little control over our external circumstances, and sometimes we even cause our own trials through sin, but the trials in our life are not our enemy. We can be joyful in trials because they are temporary and because God is at work refining our faith. He is testing us not so we fail, but so we learn Christ will give us the strength to see our faith through to the end, in the furnace, the lion’s den, the prison cell, the addiction, the depression, the bad diagnosis, and even just the crappy days when nothing goes right.

Journal time. Read and meditate on this passage from Isaiah 61:1-3 then record a time when the Lord brought you joy in a trial. Notice this is what Jesus said of himself in Luke 4.
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD‘s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.”

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, we want that joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory! Jesus, we don’t like trials or discomfort or pain, but you endured so much on the cross for the joy set before you, which was us, your beloved. Teach us how to have joy in our trials, how to trust you for strength and endurance. When our life looks like ashes help us learn to suffer well and be joyful in our salvation. Refine our faith like that precious gold so we can reflect you. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray, Amen.