Life As A Child of God

COUNT IT ALL JOY ( JAMES 1:2 )

This is a Christian paradox.

For how can a Christian consider or count it a great joy when we experience trials and tribulations?

James is actually exhorting us to think through from God’s perspective.

Know that God intends to use trials and tribulations and testings for our good and for His glory. Realise they come to test our faith and to produce in us the quality of endurance. 

Emotionally we are overwhelmed. But when we think things through and pray we become composed and in control of the situation in God’s strength, wisdom and understanding.

I took this picture of a person bowed in prayer at Athens in Greece - on Mars Hill  where Paul preached with no resounding success. But although he gained a few converts, it was a seed sown in hard ground for the many idols that dominated the area around the Acropolis with the dominant Temple to Athena. However discouraged Paul was he did not give up. He later won many converts at Corinth which was a more sin-ridden city than Athens.