“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…”
James 1:2
I remember one time Ian and I went for a run around Indiana. After we got back I collapsed on the floor thinking that I was going to die. Ian reassured me that the awful cramps in my gut were normal and it was just called being out of shape. We ended up sitting there for a long time, and somehow ended up in a deep conversation. I distinctly remember Ian saying that he had lived a very easy life. He’d never had any trials and never struggled through anything.
I remember another conversation in my apartment and we were talking about James 1:2. Neither of us had any idea what suffering or trials were or what was waiting for us on September 30, but we agreed that we always wanted to count it all joy. The biggest trial we’d had was learning how to trust God for provision for our summer internships. That would seem like the easist thing to trust God in now.
I don’t know what it looks like to always count it all joy. And I have no idea how Ian is doing in this area either. But I do know that Jesus died for both of us and that my joy will only be full when my joy is found in Him. Lord please help us to count it all joy and help us to do what seems the impossible- to be glad that we are in this affliction
Please keep praying for Ian. We now are working on different ways to communicate with him. Pray that God would give us grace and patience to wait on Him.
Larissa
anonymous
September 10, 2007 at 11:11 am
I don’t know what joy looks like in the face of extreme suffering. God does…….and I am sure it is nowhere close to what our somewhat stilted view is. I do know that this joy is not something I can “muster up” on my own…..and I know God will do that for me too. He commands us to do so, we are weak, he is made strong in our weakness ….”Will I not give us all good things”; “I will not give you anything you cannot bear”; “I will never leave you or forsake you”; I just don’t know when these scriptural promises will necessarily occur. So, I am waiting for the “good things in the land of the living”. I have to learn to view Scripture through eternity’s “filter” first……..and for me that is the only way to have Jesus be my “all in all”. still praying for all of you each day. I hadn’t seen Ian in awhile, i thought he looked good yesterdy in church. Tell him hi from me, until I can tell him myself. Gigi
Tim
September 10, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Larissa – I continue to pray for Ian. Thanks again for your transparency in these posts. You and the other bloggers (and commenters) continue to be used of God to teach me much as we pray for Ian. -tim, WellSpring Church, San Leandro, CA
anonymous
September 10, 2007 at 12:12 pm
“You will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy…Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice; and no one will take away your joy.” John 14:20
From experience I can say that trials are a distinct way that God molds us into the person he desires us to be. Without certain heartbreaking relational events that have occurred in my life, I wouldn’t be the person I am with the stronger relationship I now have with Him. And I wouldnt be effective or able to serve and encourage in certain ways.
It never seems that way in the midst, but I’ve learned that when we change our gaze, even for just a moment to treasuring Christ Jesus above our circumstances, He does powerful things.
God has a purpose. Not only that, you have His promise that it is for your good and His glory.
anonymous
September 11, 2007 at 1:52 am
Larissa:
I struggle in this area with my trial to count it all joy. I know that I can only do this when I call on him who died for me. He is the only one that gives me this joy. I have taken his promises and prayed them back to him. Saying you promised to never leave me nor forsake me, and I will trust in that. He is here in the mist of my trial as he is in the mist of yours and Ian’s. You will be able to look back and see all the work that Jesus has done in this trial. We must expect suffering and trials. We must count it all joy. In our weakness, we listen to our voices, the wolves at the door: Habakkuk 1:8: But Jesus is the one who we need to call out to for the strength we need to overcome. He has overcome. We need to go the mountain, and seek him so that we are able to be prepared for battle.