Count It All Joy

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way,

consider it an opportunity for great joy.

³ For you know that when your faith is tested,

your endurance has a chance to grow.

⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed,

you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4 (NLT)

I've yet to meet a person who naturally gets excited about troublesome times in their life.

Most people don't respond to problems by saying,

"Thank you, Lord, for this overwhelming challenge!"

I doubt you've ever gone to your mailbox and joyfully exclaimed,

"Oh thank God--an unexpected bill!"

However, when we remain joyful during the difficult times,

it sets us on a course toward maturity and opens the door

for us to receive everything God has for us.

Anybody can be happy and joyful during the good times.

The key to growing in your faith is how you handle adversity.

If you complain, you will remain.

If you get negative and sour on life,

you won't pass the test you are going through.

God's blessing and favor are available,

but if you don't count it all joy, you'll miss out.

The good news is that God will give you another opportunity.

He can still get you to where you need to be.

When somebody offends you, you need to decide

that you aren't going to be all bent out of shape over it.

When things aren't going your way, instead of complaining,

thank the Lord for an opportunity to grow.

Count it all joy so that you can be all God has called you to be!

Have a blessed & powerful day!

Kendall

A PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the work You are doing in my life.

Even when I don't understand what's going on,

I choose to trust you.

I choose to count it all joy,

knowing You have a good plan for me.

In Jesus' name, Amen.