I listened as she told me how it’d just been one thing after
another. Not minor stuff, but heart searing, mind bending hardship.
All the while, I’m thinking about those words in James, the
ones I’ve been going back to repeatedly.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and
sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that
the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2, 3).
Maybe you’ve got this all worked out, but these
seem like some of the most difficult words in the Book to me― that when we are
right in the cooking pot, we rejoice. All of us pray for deliverance in such
circumstances, but how often do we stop to “consider it pure joy”?
I’m trying to be intentional about it right now, because that’s the only way it’s going to happen. We’re never going
to feel like giving thanks when we’re dealing with overwhelming difficulty. And to that end, one thing I’m doing is begin
my day in praise by singing this hymn. I’ve always liked it, but never
considered it one of my favorites . . . until now. I’ve found that as I
meditate on these words, they become a reality.
I’ve found particular power in these phrases,
“Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver
of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!”
I told my friend about what I’ve been
doing. It seems counter intuitive, almost wrong, to sing out just when your
heart might be breaking. But I remember something I read recently that when you
need hope, you give hope. When you need encouragement, you give encouragement. When
you need joy, you give joy. And in singing, we give joy to our Creator, the
giver of “immortal gladness.”
So, hard words today, but joy tomorrow.
Take a moment .
And sing.