The troubles that the enemy plotted for us—to make us curse God—James, being filled with the Holy Ghost, says there is a thing called Great Joy.
I know I wouldn’t always consider it that way. There are moments I’m filled with faith and strength, and there are moments I simply coil in and cry my eyes out.
Beloved, what does Great Joy mean to you? I know it may seem like that moment when everything goes just as we desire—no errors, no challenges. But God, through His Word, is saying that our joy shouldn’t be based only on pleasant and pleasurable things. When we encounter troubles, we should see them as an opportunity for Great Joy.
He’s not saying we should pretend or put on a false front. He’s not asking us to live in deceitful expressions. But instead of being overwhelmed by sorrow and confusion, we should search out and draw out Great Joy.
The most exhausting moment is drawing joy from a place of brokenness and pain—but the enemy knows this. He stirs up every reason why we should reject joy. Yet God's solution is clear: With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Do you desire to draw from the depths of God?
We don’t have to manufacture joy from within ourselves. We can go to God and ask for a fresh infilling of joy.
The enemy’s strategy is to build strongholds through our lack of joy. But God says, You can start from where you are.
This thing of Great Joy is recognizing that our joy isn’t just a feeling—it’s an opportunity. It’s how we navigate life with God as our anchor.
We may not be free from troubles, but we can grow in strength that says to the enemy daily:
“You can’t steal my joy.”
Because I’ve found a place called holy endurance.
James 1:2-4 (NLT):
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.
Stay Revived!
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