The Joy of Pain
In James 1:2-4, the author James writes these shocking and uncomfortable words: “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.”
We don’t normally connect trials with joy. But what James is doing is taking his readers beyond the physical reality of their suffering and pain and he takes them to the spiritual reality of their suffering and pain.
When you and I go through trials there are two realities occurring: the physical reality and the spiritual. Most of us tend to focus on what is happening in the physical—which is a natural reaction because it is what we feel and see first.
If I am in physical pain, I am going to thinking about the part of my body that is hurting. If I am in emotional pain, I am going to be thinking about that part of my life that is in struggling. If I am in financial distress, I am going to think about how I am going to pay my bills and meet my needs. Whatever the present, earthly trial is, that is where my thoughts tend to be focused.
And what James wants his readers to understand is that while the physical realities of these trials are real, there is something bigger happening through these trials that they are experiencing. In fact, the thing that is happening in your spiritual life (through these earthly trials) is so life changing and so significant that you will literally consider these earthly trials as joy in light of what God is doing in your life.
Sit with that thought for a moment.
The thing that is happening in your spiritual life (through these earthly trials) is so life changing and so significant that you will literally consider these earthly trials as joyful.
How is that possible? It is possible when we begin to look at our life (not just our trials) but our entire life through the eternal lens of the Kingdom of God and what God is desiring to do through us for his glory.
Every time we walk through a trial trusting in God our life becomes less and less about us and more and more about Christ. And the more we give ourselves more to Christ, not only do we experience more and more of the joy and hope of Christ but more and more do we get to become a part of the work of Christ.
When we allow the work of steadfastness to accomplish its work, we are allowing God’s Spirit to accomplish His sanctifying work in us as we are being transformed into the image of Christ. This is why James says in verse 4 , “let steadfastness have its full effect.”
Every moment you continue in that trial trusting in God, surrendering to God, you are laying down your own selfishness and learning to fully embrace the grace and mercy of God. You are learning that God’s grace is sufficient. He is enough. You need nothing else but Christ and Christ alone. That is why the painful experience of trials can create a deep rooted joy in our hearts and our souls.