When life throws curveballs, where do we find the strength to catch them with a smile? Our latest episode takes you on a journey through the paradox of rejoicing in adversity, inspired by David Jeremiah's profound insights from "Count it All Joy." We lay bare the often-unspoken truth that Christians need not mask their struggles; in fact, our candidness can be a testament to the enduring power of faith. The teachings of the book of James serve as our guide, reminding us that trials are not roadblocks but rather the very path to developing patience and resilience. I open up about my personal brushes with hardship, and together we draw from the Apostle Paul's example, revealing how our own battles can bolster the gospel's message and kindle hope in others.
Venturing further, we tackle the damaging myth that Christians should project perfection to the outside world. The scriptural wisdom of James 1:16-18 and 1 Peter 5:8-11 illuminates our conversation, underscoring that every good gift is from above, and it's God's hand that steers us through life's storms. Embracing vulnerability, we demonstrate how divine strength, love, and patience empower us to stand firm. This authenticity not only encourages fellow believers but also offers a genuine narrative to those yet to embrace faith. By sharing our imperfect paths and reliance on grace, we embody a beacon of relatable hope, confronting the adversary's deceptions and celebrating the life-altering magnificence of God's sovereignty. Join us as we affirm that the trials we face may shape us, but it's the joy we find in them that defines us.
When life throws curveballs, where do we find the strength to catch them with a smile? Our latest episode takes you on a journey through the paradox of rejoicing in adversity, inspired by David Jeremiah's profound insights from "Count it All Joy." We lay bare the often-unspoken truth that Christians need not mask their struggles; in fact, our candidness can be a testament to the enduring power of faith. The teachings of the book of James serve as our guide, reminding us that trials are not roadblocks but rather the very path to developing patience and resilience. I open up about my personal brushes with hardship, and together we draw from the Apostle Paul's example, revealing how our own battles can bolster the gospel's message and kindle hope in others.
Venturing further, we tackle the damaging myth that Christians should project perfection to the outside world. The scriptural wisdom of James 1:16-18 and 1 Peter 5:8-11 illuminates our conversation, underscoring that every good gift is from above, and it's God's hand that steers us through life's storms. Embracing vulnerability, we demonstrate how divine strength, love, and patience empower us to stand firm. This authenticity not only encourages fellow believers but also offers a genuine narrative to those yet to embrace faith. By sharing our imperfect paths and reliance on grace, we embody a beacon of relatable hope, confronting the adversary's deceptions and celebrating the life-altering magnificence of God's sovereignty. Join us as we affirm that the trials we face may shape us, but it's the joy we find in them that defines us.
My website is https://www.godslovingsacrifice.com
Speaker 1:
Today we're going to count it all joy. I was reading a book called Count it All Joy. It was written by David Jeremiah and published by David C Cook, and chapter two was called the Joy of Adversity and it really made me stop and think of how many times when we, our Christian, are going through adversity that we hide. We're afraid that someone sees us going through adversity. Then they won't have a lot of faith in Jesus, so we try to hide that and act like everything's right with the world. That's not right. Adversity makes us stronger.
Speaker 1:
People going through adversity as Christians get through it different than non-Christians. If we hide our adversities, how do people see how God strengthens us through that, how he strengthens our faith, how he strengthens our walk, how he strengthens our determination to make it through what we're going through? Also, when you hide it, it makes people feel that they can't live up to your expectations, to what you are as a Christian. And I know that's true because I've had a lot of people when they've talked to me, say I don't know how you can have such faith. It doesn't ever let them see me when I didn't have faith or when my faith was low or when it appeared like I had no faith at all. And believe me, as Christians we all go through that. But if non-Christians can't see us go through that and overcome, what message are we giving them?
Speaker 1:
James 1-2-8 says my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and plead, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting. For he who doubts is like the wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is double-minded and unstable in his ways.
Speaker 1:
Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Do you count it joy when you're going through a trial? I know there's times I don't count it as joy. I get very frustrated and sometimes I get sad and sometimes I wonder why. You know, aren't I doing everything that you've asked me to do? Aren't I trying to live the life that you want me to live? I'm trying to live in your will, so why am I going through these trials? I don't understand it. Well, we go through these trials knowing that the testing of our face produces patience. My husband used to tell me all the time you have the patience of Job. I've never seen anybody with such patience, and when he would say that I would think I've never seen anybody with so many trials, because that's what brings you patience learning how to make it through. And that's what we should show other people. We shouldn't hide it.
Speaker 1:
The story about Paul there's so many of them out there but he talked about going through trials and he talked about what that meant for him. And in Philippians 1 12-14 it says but I want you to know, brethren, that the thing which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to the rest that my chains are in Christ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear, because they saw what he was going through and the guards knew what he was going through and he never wavered in his belief in Christ and that furthered the gospel because he was reaching people through his trials, so why should we hide ours? You know, I am one of those people. I go places and I want everybody to see that I am a happy person and I'm not bound and I'm believing God and I trust Him for everything which I do. And I am usually always happy, or at least I always have joy. But sometimes I'm very much down and I don't know why I don't tell that to other people. I don't know why I don't let them know when things are not quite right, like my last podcast, the podcast where I was empty. It was such a trial for me but I got through it. God led the way and I opened up to you guys and that was one of the most amazing things. It was something about letting people know that I had faith in my weakness. I had faith when I felt nothing. I had joy when I couldn't see a reason to be joyful. But I had joy because I knew that God is my supplier of joy.
Speaker 1:
There's a song I used to sing, again going with the songs but, and it said Hold on, my child. Joy comes in the morning, weeping only lasts for the night. And that's so true. We cry unto him. He fills us with joy, but don't hide that from others. Let others know that we can have joy when we're in adversity.
Speaker 1:
Another scripture in Philippians 1, 27 through 30 says Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified from your adversities, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted, on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him but to also suffer for his sake. Having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me, he was proud that the people that have heard of him still wasn't afraid of their adversities. You know, I think some of us think of showing others, when we're going through trials and problems, that it is like putting a bad light, as we say, on Christ. But the scripture Luke 8, 16 through 17 says no one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under the bed and sets it, but sets it on a lamp stand that those who enter may see the light, for nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. So we're not putting a bad light on Christ.
Speaker 1:
When we're going through adversity and depending on God to get us through it, we're shining a light on the fact that God can get you through anything. Anything. There's nothing that happens to us that God does not know. No, jesus went through everything that we could go through, and then some. And remember that when we're hiding from our adversities or our troubles or our temptations, we're hiding them from other people that will always come to light. Maybe no one else will see, but God sees. And remember when you are in those adversities. God is not putting you there. God is not giving you the temptations or the trials.
Speaker 1:
James 1.16-18 says "'Do not be deceived, my brother, and every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes from the laws of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning Of his own will. He brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruit of his creatures". When we are going through these trials, we don't have to hide them, because we're going through things that other people are going through, and when a sinner is going through them, they have to know how do you make it and you need to show them. I make it through God. God walks me every step of the way, through every trial, through every sorrow, through every joy that I go through.
Speaker 1:
We can't hide that from non-Christians. We cannot think that we have to live perfect lives for other people to find God, because if we lived perfect lives, they would feel they could never, ever measure up. They have to see us make it through these things. They have to see the strength that God gives us, the love that God gives us, the patience that God gives us. We have to. We are an example to them. If they only see this perfect person, they'll feel like they can't do what we do.
Speaker 1:
Remember that the reason we go through trials is in 1st Peter, 5, 8, and 11, and it says Be sober, be diligent, because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour. Resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after you have suffered a while perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you To him. Be the glory and the domination for ever and ever. Amen. Satan's like a roaring lion, and that roaring lion is devouring people that you're trying to show your perfect side to. They need to see how you defeat that roaring lion, while you can stand on God's word, how you can count your adversities as joy.
