Pure Joy
I mean, really. How many things in life should be considered pure joy?
Here’s one: My wife and I recently had an appointment with an ultrasound machine. It clarified that our fifth little bundle of joy would be a girl. After four boys, we will finally be having a girl.
Clearly, it is a “pure joy” situation. There were tears and shouts of joy.
Here is another possibility from a child’s perspective: Carol and I just purchased a more expense video game for our boys for Christmas (large enough they won’t be getting much else this year). We smile to one another as we consider the “pure joy” that our kids will express that Christmas morning.
It seems that presents always represent a “pure joy” situation; both the giving and receiving of gifts seems to approach pure joy. In a simplistic way, this explains why God's grace in Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of pure joy.
However, when I buy a gift for myself (i.e. a new car or computer) the joy of the purchase usually comes with a sobering reminder of the cost paid for it (buyers remorse). Quite simply, joy in getting something for me, honestly, does not usually result in a pure joy scenario. There is some happiness, but compared to giving and receiving scenarios like Christmas, it tends to pale severely.
In the Bible, though, "pure joy" can be confusing.
Think about James' letter. When James says that we are to, “consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds”, it can tend to sound a bit overwrought. All Christians know that we are to have a Christ-like attitude but surely it is too much to think that James’ admonition is to be truly followed.
What happened to babies and presents?!?
It’s interesting…when I watch Extreme Makeover, Home Edition, I consistently cry when they move that bus. Seeing the expressions and reactions on the faces of the families who have lived in near hopeless situations for years, while still giving to others in a sacrificial manner, always chokes me up. Pure joy is the only proper description. It is the kind of joy accompanied with uncontrolled sobbing and ecstatic jumping and yelling.
Can you see the comparison to James' admonition to consider trials pure joy?
Well, let's consider Job again. Job seems to give us a similar (if not more dramatic) illustration of what James meant. It could be argued that no one faced a more precipitous drop in prosperity, a more stratospheric rise of misery, than Job. He was the “greatest man in the East”. He had an overabundance of flocks and herds, seven boys, three girls and a loving wife. Yet, in a short period of time all of his flocks were stolen or destroyed and his children killed in a fluke windstorm that destroyed the house where they were eating. Finally, a severe skin disease left Job sitting in dust and ashes scraping his skin with a broken piece of pottery, with his wife telling him to, “curse God and die.”
So, would James say that Job should have considered his trials pure joy? Where would the compassion be in such counsel? “Back off James!” we might be thinking.
Well, let’s look at James’ comments more closely. After his encouragement to consider it pure joy, he went on to say that, James 1:3 “the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Apparently, James was of the opinion that “pure joy” is related to having our faith tested. Come to think of it, the Extreme Makover families were all living out very difficult tests of faith. They had been giving sacrificially despite not having enough to take care of themselves. Surely, that would be properly described as a test of faith.
James claimed that the believer would not be complete until their faith had been tested to the point that they develop perseverance. Perseverance has a work in our lives. When perseverance has finished that work, we become mature and complete, not lacking anything.
The writer of Hebrews seemed to also be of the opinion that suffering is part of God’s plan to perfect people. In Hebrews, we are given the impression that Christ himself was perfected through his suffering and death on the cross. Heb 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Apparently, God has a perfect plan for bringing you and I to perfection. Part of that plan includes suffering. When encouraging believers to not get discouraged with hard times, Hebrews 12:4 says it this way, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” He makes those comments after saying, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful man, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
So, yes, Job fits James’ scenario. Job was facing a Satanic attack. That attack was due to Job’s righteousness and loyalty to God. In fact, the last two beatitudes might help here. They say, (Matthew 5:10-12) “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake, for yours is the kingdom of heaven” and then “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of (Christ). Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” Though, Job did not know to rejoice, his suffering was for righteousness sake for the sake of his relationship to God.
But that is our point! Job did not know he had reason for joy. The joy always comes from the hope of the reward or the actual fulfillment of such a hope. No wonder Job had no joy.
Christ endured the cross for the joy set before him. The Beatitudes encourage us to consider it blessing, when we face persecution, because of the hope of heavenly reward. James says to consider trials pure joy because of the hope of maturity and completion. Job did not know God was planning to bless him immensely. But, of course, God blessed him twice as much at the end than the beginning.
Suffering in the cause of righteousness or for Christ’ sake means huge blessing is on its way to that believer. This is always the case. When trials come...Blessing is coming! The beatitudes were clear about this. Hebrews was clear about this. Christ showed this.
Which is why James opens his letter with it.
So, look at what we are told at the end of the book of Job, “Job 42:10-17 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.
Job, of course, had no idea that God had such good things planned for him.
You and I, however, because of the testimony of Job (…and the testimony of Daniel, Joseph, David, Jesus, the Apostles) and resurrection of Christ do know this. Christ knew the joy that was coming. James encouraged us to hope for the completion that awaits us.
But another question needs to be answered. If joy is so related to suffering why bother? Who needs joy if we have to face such hardship?
Paul answers that question this way, "(Rom 6:19-23)19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Basically, Paul says that suffering is coming one way or the other. We can submit ourselves to the type of suffering that comes from our being a slave to sin. Or else we can choose to embrace the type of suffering that comes from being a slave to righteousness. As the famous 60's singer said, "you're gonna serve something." The question is whether we want the good things promised from suffering for righteousness sake or be stuck with the bad things that come from suffering under the bondage of sin. Because of Christ, it's our choice.
So, let's consider what God has in store for us! Paul says it this way: (1 Cor 2:6-10) No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
So, should we consider it pure joy to face trials? If Job is any indication, then, Yes. If Christ is any indication, then, yes. If we believe James, then, yes.
As a parent of four boys, I know that the joy my boys have brought has always been accompanied by a measure of suffering (diapers, attitudes, late nights, cleaning up). I have no doubt our new little girl will be the same.
So, Rejoice! We are overcomers, more than conquerors, unable to be separated from God’s love! God has glory in store for us.
God has glory in store for my unborn little girl. We’ll simply consider her “pure joy.”
And any other trials that come…because of God’s promises to us in Christ…yes…we can consider those also, “pure joy.”
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