Count it all Joy?

James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 

Joy is not the first thing that pops in my mind when I think of difficult times and/or temptations.  But then again, isn’t that the point.  If joy were natural in these circumstances, there would be no need to tell us to consider it joy.

If you are like me, when bad things happen, our first inclination is to wallow in our difficulties.  What james is teaching us is that there is a better way of dealing with things.  Sort of a “make lemonade out of lemons” kind of thing.

There is an old saying, “What does not kill you makes you stronger.  And that is what James is saying.  When we overcome a temptation or difficult situation, it makes us stronger and better prepared to handle the next thing.

If becoming a strong, faithful christian is our priority in life. we should learn to view our difficulties as a positive, helpful situation.  It might not be easy, but it will be helpful in us