Suffering? Well - then - BE HAPPY!

James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (NIV)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy (NLT)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds (ESV)
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials (NASB)


PURE joy. GREAT joy. ALL joy. In every trial we need to be fully consumed with joy. Why? Well, other than the obvious "because the Bible says so" - let's explore what it says about why.


The first reason comes just one verse later in James 1:
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The trails help us learn to persevere. Why do we need perseverance? To become mature and complete. So we don't lack ANYTHING. To be whole, complete, fully finished - we MUST endure these trials and learn to persevere.


Romans 5 also talks about perseverance through suffering.
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Perseverance produces character. What kind of character? A Christlike one. Character produces hope. Through facing trials and suffering we learn to have hope.


In 1 Peter 1 we find another answer to the question why:
7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

To prove the genuineness of our faith. So why is that important? Because our faith is worth more than gold! Our faith will withstand these trials so that we can bring praise, honor and glory to Christ!


2 Thessalonians tells us:
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

We are suffering for the kingdom of God. We're not suffering as punishment or because of anything we've done (though sin DOES sometimes have consequences that can produce trials & suffering). We are suffering for HIM. For HIS kindgom. He died on a cross for us - enduring all kinds of horrendous things. NOTHING that we go through in life will compare to the suffering He endured for us. We will never be able to repay Him, but we can endure these sufferings with JOY as a way to thank Him.


2 Timothy 3 says
12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

If we want to life a Christlike life, we will suffer. We cannot live as Jesus lived without also enduring trials and suffering.


We participate according to 1 Peter 4:
13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

So that we may be OVERJOYED when His glory is revealed. We have experienced joy on this earth, but nothing can be compared to the joy we'll experience when we join Him in Heaven. The trials and sufferings here are temporary. The overflowing joy of Heaven is eternal.


Romans 8 gives us such a great promise in answer to our why:
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

We suffer just as Christ suffered so that we can share in his glory. WE get to share in HIS glory. Awesome! No wonder we should be joyful when we face suffering and trials... they remind us that we will be rewarded for eternity!


So now that we have more of an explanation about why we suffer and endure trials, HOW do we face them with JOY? Easy. Through HIS comfort, joy and power.


2 Corinthians 1:
5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Christ comforts us. His comfort surrounds us during our trials and sufferings.


1 Thessalonians 1:
6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives us joy in the midst of suffering.


2 Timothy 1:
8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

God gives us the power.


Just the name of Jesus has the power to knock enemies off their feet. The power to make every knee bow. The power to stop the whole world in a second. That same power lives inside of us as Christians. We simply need to ask Him to fill us with the joy and comfort He can provide in those times of pain and rely on His power to see us through.