James1:2-4 says “Count it ALL joy when you fall into various trials, KNOWING that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing!”

WAIT…….count it all joy? Does it feel like joy when you lose your job? Does it feel like joy when you are persecuted? When your kid just got arrested for drugs? Of course not! Counting it all joy is NOT an emotional response. Putting on a fake smile repeating to yourself I’m joyful is missing the mark of what the word is truly teaching us. We have to think like God thinks! We tend to think and respond by the temporal things we can physically see, touch, taste or smell and the minute nothing seems to be getting better according to our senses we lose faith and seek other means to solve our problem. The word says can the two (you and God) walk together lest they agree? God sees the end from the beginning. Agree with the Father that this trial has been produced for my benefit and know that this testing is producing patience that I may come into a level of lacking nothing being matured and complete. I know, I know you’re saying you don’t know my situation, it’s painful! TRUST ME I GET IT!!!! However, we do not live by feeling but, by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

So, how do I count it all Joy? GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS, KNOWING, God sees where you are and has already seen the end from the beginning and is cheering you on to a higher level of maturity to be used for his glory!! By exercising your faith this way you come into agreement with the Father, thinking like him. What is the end result?? “LACKING NOTHING”