James 1:2

The Christian's Attitude Toward Trials

James 1:2 'Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,'

'Consider it' -to consider, deem, account, think (Thayer p. 276); 'regard, "deem it pure joy, when" (Arndt p. 343); 'first aorist middle imperative, "Do it now and once for all" (Robertson p. 11). 'James wasted no time in coming to an unpleasant subject and ordering. most difficult response….To "consider it all joy" means to respond with. deliberate intelligent appraisal, not an emotional reaction.' (Kent p. 36) Notice the choice and freewill in this verse.. simple change of attitude or perspective on our part can make all the difference in the world. Attitude isn't something that is inherently fixed from birth and God isn't going to come along and miraculously change our attitude.

'all joy' -And not merely "some" joy. 'unmixed joy, not just some joy along with much grief' (Robertson p. 11). 'The sufferer is to be glad that he can suffer. He is not to dwell on the unpleasantness of the experience. There should be no such thing as. complaining, grumbling disciple of Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).' (Roberts p. 40)

Points To Note:

1. The joy in this passage is an intelligent joy. This isn't. mindless and superficial kind of joy. Rather, it is born in the realization that such trials will only result in much good for my spiritual life and the lives of others (Romans 5:3). 2. It is the joy that one is experiencing. time of tremendous personal growth and maturity. Joy that one is being allowed to do something for God, to suffered for His cause (1 Peter 1:29). 3. The joy that one is making an impact upon the world, that the world is feeling the sting of some godly salt (Matthew 5:10). 'A Christian is to look at the experience from God's perspective and recognize the trial not as. happy experience in itself but as the means of producing something most valuable (Psalms 119:71; 1 Peter 1:6…The trial itself is not called. joy, but the encounter is.' (Kent p. 36) 4. And we have the choice! We can either profit from trials or be destroyed by them, we can allow them to improve our spiritual lives, line up our priorities, bring about greater virtues, or we can allow such trials to make us bitter, resentful and angry. Paul realized that trials constitute. path to true happiness (1 Peter 4:11). In other words, true happiness, true joy cannot be realized without personal growth, maturity and experience in handling hardships and difficult situations.

'when' -'whenever, it implies that temptation may be expected all along the Christian course.' (Vincent p. 724) (Acts 14:22; 2 Timothy 3:12)

'you encounter' -the word "encounter", is the same word as used in the parable of the Good Samaritan, when the man "fell among the robbers" (Luke 10:30). It means, "to fall into as to be encompassed by" (Thayer p. 504). It is the picture of being surrounded by trials.. Notice that James says "when" and not "if". 'We cannot choose whether or not we will fall into testing. We will be tested…..If we think for. minute that when we get "spiritual", we will stop being tested, we are mistaken.' (Draper p. 14) We cannot anticipate and avoid every possible trial in life. For many trials, all we can do is prepare.

'various trials' -1. The word "various" suggests that trials come in many forms, and we will face of variety of hardships (1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 10:32 ff). Various trials are mentioned in this letter (James 2:6-7; James 5:1). 2. "trials"-'adversity, affliction, trouble' (Thayer p. 498).

Point To Note:

James makes it clear that God doesn't seduce anyone to sin (James 1:13), and yet God allows His people to undergo hardships and periods of testing. The word here 'trial' is usually understood to be. testing from without, such as some sort of hardship or persecution. And yet. believe most of us realize that. trial can very quickly become an excuse to sin, if our attitude isn't right. An outward trial can quickly shift to an inward temptation. For example, many people handle stress by drinking, yielding to selfish anger and engaging in immorality.