Hope In Crisis
  • Home
  • Materials
  • Articles
    • 5-27-16 Perspective
    • 12-17-15 Suffering
    • 12-8-15 How to TRUST the Lord
    • 11-16-15 Gospel Communication
    • 11-7-15 Bridging the Gap
    • 10-30-15 Burden Bearing
    • 10/21/15 Language
    • 10-14-15 Speak Scripturally
    • 10-7-15 Being Soul-Conscious
    • 9-30-15 Ambassador for Christ
    • 9-24-15 Overcoming Evil With Good
    • 9-16-15 Resolving Conflict
    • 9-9-15 Seeking Forgiveness
    • 9-2-15 A God-Centered Focus
    • 8-11-15 Praying Effectively
    • 8-4-15 Handling Crisis Biblically
    • 7-29-15 Sovereignty of God
    • 7-23-15 Meditating
    • 7-1-15 Trials
    • 6-24-15 Applied Faith
    • 6/18/15 Theology 911
    • 5-27-15 Scriptural Praying
    • 5-20-15 "What Saith the Scripture?"
    • 4-22-15 How to Handle Crisis
    • 4-15-15 A Quiet Spirit
    • 4-8-15 Biblical Hope
    • 4-1-15 Wisdom
    • 3-17-15 Joy
    • 3-11-15 Obedience
    • 3-4-15 Worry
    • 2-25-15 Repentance
    • 2-18-15 G.R.A.C.E.
    • 2-11-15 Communication
    • 2-4-15 Ephesians 2:8-10
    • 1-17-15 Seeking Forgiveness
    • 1-21-15 Dealing with Suffering
    • 1-14-15 S.P.A.
    • 1-7-15 Covetousness
    • 12-17-14 Deceit
    • 12-10-14 Gentleness
    • 12-3-14 Discipleship
    • 10-30-15 Burden Bearing
    • Archived Articles
  • Contact Us
  • HIC Meetings

Joy in Trials

9/19/2012

 
James talked about joy amidst trials. Paul talked about rejoicing in everything and how God had taught him to be content in whatever state he was. In taking a fresh look at those divine modes of operation, we often hear the instruction that, as believers, we should have joy in trials. Just exactly what does it mean to "have joy in trials?". In our mind's way of thinking, that sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? That is, the two ends of that phrase don't seem to match. We have habitually associated joy with an absence of trials, and trials as a period of time where there is an absence of joy. However, what a blessing it is to realize that anytime we ask a question, God has already answered it for us in His Word. Look at John 16:33b, where Christ said " ... In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." He had just outlined, with great clarity, those things that were to be following His return to the Father. The disciples were, as we are, trying to see exactly how His words were going to work. But He succinctly 'tied it up' with the fact that He HAS overcome the world. That's it!!! We will not know joy in trials unless we have a firm fix in our. Ind as to the temporarily of this life and the permanency of the next one. Paul said, in Romans 8:18, that " the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Again, an eternal focus is the imperative ! Between now and then, we must be sure that we have taken the free gift of salvation through personal faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus, as full payment for our sin debt to God. Thereafter, the all-sufficient grace of God is an absolute promise of God in 2 Corinthians 12:9, and a way of escape is promised in 1 Corinthians 10:9 for those difficulties that seem to loom greater than we can bear ( you may want to re-read THE WAY OF ESCAPE article of 3 weeks ago). May God help you today to know HIS eternal joy in the midst of temporal trials.

(c) 1993 N.A.Collins Copy permission limited to one personal file copy


Comments are closed.

    Archived Articles

    All articles are (c) 1993, 2012 N. A. Collins - Limited copy permission for one personal copy

    Archives

    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed