I’m writing a message series entitled, “Consider It Pure Joy” for this upcoming weekend’s retreat. The passage is from James, and reads, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (perseverance). And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

About a month ago, my son-in-law lost his job. The job I’d prayed for for so many years; the one that fit their family well. Every time I passed the business on the way to town, I’d pray blessings on them, and thank God for blessing my girl’s family.

A gift from God was suddenly snatched away. When Kayla texted the news, I called to pray with her right away.

I heard the Lord whisper, “Count it all joy.”

I was a bit stunned at first. How often have we shared that passage with one another while experiencing a trial, and it encouraged us? But to hear the command in the moment of grief was a challenge. One I have come to love over the past four weeks.

Another opportunity came when our son and his wife moved into their newest home. A few days in, they lost water pressure. He called the local water-pump repair man and learned there’s trouble in their area due to the rock below the surface.



“Count it all joy,” I whispered.

Ethan had to wrestle a bit into trust and peace as he continued to research and investigate.

I’m happy to report that even though Andrew was without a job for three weeks, and Ethan lost water pressure a few times, all has been resolved. In the case of Andrew’s job, after a long pursuit, he has landed a much better job than the one he left, which is much closer to his home with a higher salary.

I remember “the immeasurably more and far more abundantly” of Ephesians 3:20, and I smile at God. Thank you, Giver of good gifts and joy!

While my heart swells at the joy of answered prayer, a deeper joy came in watching my family cast their cares on the Lord. And in watching the Lord care for them.

Trials come in order to produce perseverance. We gain perseverance when we experience God’s faithfulness. Trials and testing leads to testimonies of God’s faithfulness, those building blocks of faith for the future.



Kayla reasoned that God had just miraculously given them the home they are in, He wouldn’t leave them to lose it now. Ethan investigated, and made adjustments and plans for their outdoor watering needs in the summer.

I asked the question on Facebook, “What gives you the MOST JOY?”

I found the common denominator to every single answer: relationships. One friend answered, “teaching” and the rest had to do with connection. Connection to family . . . connection of family to God . . . connection to friends who’ve held up your arms in a battle . . .

Wholeness and oneness in our relationships is the essence of true joy.

It stands to reason then, that God’s call for us to consider it pure joy when we endure trials—is due to the fact that our trials tether us more tightly to Him. Our trust in His power, love, and provision grows. What we know in our head goes into our heart. We get deposits in the bank of His faithfulness to draw from later . . . and to encourage others.

When I was in my twenties, the first thing I did when I was under duress was call my Mom(my). I trusted her love, and knew she would do whatever she could to encourage or help me. It’s good to call mom; she is a gift from God. But moms are limited in power and provision.



There is One who has no limits who allows trials in our lives that even mom can’t fix, in order that we will grow in trust and be prepared and empowered for the future.

On the other side of Easter, we’ve seen the cross cross our social media feeds repeatedly. Many of us have spent much time walking the road with Jesus through the Lenten journey. Experiencing more deeply the suffering of our Savior.

What perseverance He had! How did He do it? What enabled Him to stay when He had declared He could have, at any moment, called the hosts of Heaven and they’d have rescued Him?



The writer of Hebrews tells us, even as we are instructed on how to endure our trials:

“looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY that was set before him endured the cross, despising (looking past) the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Jesus’s endurance was in His joy. His joy was in His upcoming VICTORY. He is seated as King. He secured our emancipation from sin, that we could connect to Him. The cross made us unholy, holy. Without holiness, none will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

Because of the cross of Christ, we who’ve been reconciled to God through Christ, are seated with Him already. (Ephesians 2:4-7) This means our JOY when we face trials is from knowing we already HAVE the victory. We will get through THIS. You WILL get through THIS.

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:7 NLT

“Dear friends, we are already God’s children (reconciled connection, oneness, withness), but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we shall see him as he really is.” 1 John 3:2 NLT

People often refer to the time before the cross when Jesus flipped tables as justification for righteous anger. This is part of the story of course, but not the whole of it. I believe the essence of the scene is twofold: First, the people who are selling in the Temple are standing in the way of intimacy with God. Jesus said, “My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12-13) Jesus is zealous for prayer.

Prayer is communication. Prayer is our union with God. Jesus’s passion—His cross—is bringing people to God; reconcilliation is His mission.



The second thing I believe He is displaying in the scene is a turning of the system. The Old Covenant required sacrifices of animals. Since Jesus is the Lamb of God, the system of animal sacrifice would cease. He is the once-for-all sacrifice, uniting us, covenanting us, tethering us to God.

“Joy,” John Piper said, “is something we don’t really have language for. We cannot describe it adequately.” He continued by saying, “That is what poetry is for, that is what music is for, that is what dancing and hugging and kissing are for.” (I paraphrased)



Jesus prayed for us before He went to the cross. If you read John 17:1-26, you will notice that central in the passage of Him praying for our oneness, in verse 13, is the tiny word JOY.

“… that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” John 17:13

Words from Ann again:

“And I’m the scandalous woman who’s touched Him, the sinner who loosed her hair and kneeled and let all of her cascade, and my wet cheeks have leaked all over His feet, and I have kissed His soles, and I am Doubting Thomas, touching, tracing, interrogating His tender wounds with stinging questions, and He hasn’t flinched back, not even once, and I’m the woman who hasn’t just touched the frayed edge of His hem, but I’ve yanked on His whole long cloak, dragged him down into the sand, and He’s scratched out a love note for me in the dirtiest parts of me with His very finger, then lifted my chin with His finger . . . and whispered,

“Dont be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.” Isaiah 43:1-2 MSG ” ~Ann Voskamp, Waymaker book. (excerpts from chapter 4)

I highly recommend purchasing Ann’s book. God showed her a SACRED way to still and to enable our joy on our journey with Jesus.