James 1:2-3–Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation

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Welcome to today’s Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation covering James 1:2-3 wherein the Christian is challenged to look at hardships today as producers of blessedness tomorrow.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

As the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season approaches, the general feeling among the masses is one of joyful anticipation.  And although there are many who will experience loneliness in this time (people we should be mindful of and seek to bless), most see it as a wonderful time to reconnect with friends and family.  We sing songs with the themes of thankfulness and happiness and will likely be confronted with the Christian significance behind these days as we’re out and about, much to our delight if we are Christ followers.  Yes, these are days that we are at least told should be counted as joyful ones.

But the message from James in this text doesn’t sound all that Christmas-like.  He wastes no time in his letter, taking just a couple words for introduction before diving in to what at first seems almost antagonistic.  “Rough times?  Be joyful because of them.”  But just like looking ahead to holidays, James also highlights the need for an anticipatory forward focus.  He wants his readers to know that hard times today make for good things tomorrow.  The “gift” that he says we should look forward to is the future ability to remain steadfast in our communion with the Lord.  The question then that each of us must ask ourselves is, “How much do I really see this as a gift?”  I fear that this desire just simply doesn’t click with many people who identify themselves as believers in Jesus Christ.  We tend to know that Christianity “works” in a practical sense–Jesus-based morality is good, we’re not perfect and need a Savior, etc.  But whether or not we really want to be steadfast in faith, knowing an intimate, mighty, and unshakable relationship with our God is another question.  Let’s be honest; who of us declares, “Yes, oh yes, this persecution or sickness or family instability is a test that will, as I face it with joy, make me more resolute, firm, and strong in the Lord!”  If you’re like me, a bit of lingering sinus pressure can make you a real crank.  But when I’m thinking rightly, I do look ahead to an increase in steadfastness, and that is what James is calling for.

What we must remember is that trials come in various forms, as he put it, and we must be aware of what forms seem to be most dangerous to the church today.  It appears from my limited vantage point that one of the largest trials we face is the continual hammering of many lovely little idols at the doors of our souls.  There are so many promises of delights for today that unfortunately really do tend to deliver a good amount of pleasure in the moment.  And then, before we know it, we’re slobbering, staggering drunks who can barely stand (despite our self-assuredness), let alone hold steadfast.  Suddenly, because of our “enlightening” experiences, we see little need for traditional, Biblical Christianity, or even any Christianity at all.  I see them everywhere and those of my friends among them are breaking my heart.

Dear ones, do not let yourselves become distracted from the goal of steadfastness in the Lord.  Endure the trials of today with joyful anticipation of the blessing of clear-sighted, God-empowered solidarity tomorrow.

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