Set Your Mind on Things Above
“This is why I wait upon you, expecting your breakthrough, for your word brings me hope.” ~Psalm 130:5 A lot has happened in our world.
Rejoicing in trials, an oxymoron right??
By definition, ‘rejoice’ means to be glad; to feel or show great joy or delight.
So then, how are we supposed to be glad and express great joy when we are going through hell and high water? That’s what we are going to explore in this post, and learn that indeed it is possible to rejoice, and moreover give thanks, when we are in the midst of trials.
Consider it nothing but JOY
2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.
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Every weekend, I take time to prepare UnScripted-related content for the new week, and this weekend was no different.
As I wondered what I would post this week, I began to pray ask God what He would like me to share on the blog; what He would like for me to tell His daughters this week.
And I heard Him say “Trials. Talk about Trials.” and He then led me to James 1:2-15.
This was ironical, because the past 2 weeks have not been so easy for me.
I have been going through trials of my own in relation to the workload from school, assignments and other responsibilities that I have. It felt like I had been thrown into a whirlwind where I had a lot that I had to do yet so little time and the work seemed to be increasing every day.
At some point I felt like I couldn’t do it; like I was failing and I was succumbing to it all but then I kept telling myself “Keep going! Keep going! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!”
Every. Single. Day.
That was my song.
That was my anthem.
That was my prayer: You can’t give up now! God’s got you! He will help you through it.
And it’s only for a season.
And I wonder how many of us have felt this way, or even feel this way at this moment:
Exhausted by the tough times, wishing they would end.
Feeling like it’s all too much.
Detesting such times and wondering why do we even have to go through such seasons.
Well sis, we go through such seasons because it’s where the growth happens.
Such seasons are the fertile ground needed to produce character in you. Needed to produce faith in you. Needed to produce steadfastness and strength in you.
This is the place where God works on you, refining you, removing the things that will prohibit your growth (remember we talked about pruning last week) and molding you into the woman He wants you to become.
That’s why James tell us in James 1:2 to consider it pure joy whenever you go through trials of various kinds because those trials; that testing of your faith produces endurance; it produces steadfastness.
Endurance being the ability to bear and stand firm in your faith no matter what seasons come.
Steadfastness being the ability to not waiver; to become a tree firmly planted in Christ, in His Word and who He says you are as described in Psalms 1:3.
Hence why he says ‘Rejoice! Even in those trials!”
Because:
1. You will come out of the trials stronger and refined! and,
2. God’s with you.
He is right there in the fire with you. He sees how difficult it is.
He is not a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted (and gone through trials), knowing exactly how it feels to be human in every respect as we are [Hebrews 4:15 AMP].
He will walk you through it and lead you through it.
So sis, don’t be in a rush to leave the uncomfortable season.
Don’t be so quick to ask God to take away the trials yet it’s where you get to grow.
Rejoice in them, and don’t resist them either.
VERSE OF THE WEEK of the week
James 1:2-4 AMP
“Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].
And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.”
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hello & welcome.
My name is Renee, the founder of and main content creator for UnScripted.
Thank you so much for stopping by and I pray you get encouraged and your faith is stirred while you’re here, as we are here to empower you to be the woman God wants you to be.
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