Our Trials Can Give Us Joy, Part 1 (TMF:978)

Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Peace to Live By: Our Sufferings & Trials Can Give Us Joy (TMF:978) - Daniel Litton
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       He saw the joy that was to be his after his suffering, and in view of that he endured the cross, despising the shame, and now, today, he is seated at God's right hand in the throne room of Heaven (see Hebrews 12:2, ESV). Finally, James probably sums up our joy in our suffering the best when he said, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4, ESV). We have to have trials in our lives in order to develop our patience. And when we go through them with a proper attitude of joy, we come out on the other end with what we were wanting, the desire of our heart. Our hope in obtaining Heaven one day in the future gives us joy inside us. We have this hope which unbelievers don't have because they are only focused on the earth, on the material, on those people who are around them. We as believers know that soon we will be with Jesus, and our bodies will be transformed and made perfect. That includes our getting rid of our sin natures.