Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. – James 1:2 (NLT)
One of the hardest things to do is to have joy during times of trouble. Maybe you feel like things are against you, you’ve got finals coming up and the pressures of keeping your grades up just feels like too much. When things are tough and life is pressing against you harder and harder it becomes difficult to keep your joy.
Often we think that if we can just get the pressure to go away, we’ll have joy. Maybe once finals are over and life is easier we will be happy. Or once school is out and there’s nothing to do but hang out with your friends all summer, then you’ll be happy. However, if we keep waiting for events, circumstances or people to change for us to have joy, we might be waiting a long time.
Instead, we are challenged in the Bible to do what this verse says. When trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for joy. It’s not that you’re happy that the trouble is in your life, but rather you realize that regardless of what is going on around you, you can choose to be at peace within.
Today’s Truth: No matter what is going on around you, you can choose peace within.
Things might be difficult, the pressures of life might be coming at you hard, but if you find your joy in knowing who Jesus is and that He is the source of your peace and contentment, it will allow you to find joy in the midst of trouble.
