Count It All Joy

When life gets hard, it’s easy to assume God must be behind the pain. But James 1 gives us a different picture.

James tells us to “count it all joy” when we encounter trials—not because the trial itself is good, but because God is good in the middle of it.

The enemy may bring the trial. He may intend it to steal, kill, and destroy. And the trial may even present us with opportunities to respond in sin.

But God doesn’t have to be the author of the trial to be sovereign over it.

Instead, we can fix our eyes on Jesus, persevere in faith, and trust that God will use even what was meant for evil to produce endurance, maturity, and ultimately life.

The Father is not your afflicter. He is your redeemer.

So when the pressure comes, don't let the trial tell you what kind of God you have.

Look at the Father. He is good. He is faithful. And He wastes nothing.