An Opportunity for Joy

James, the half-brother of Jesus, couldn’t believe that his flesh-and-blood sibling was the actual Son of God—until He rose from the dead. Then, he was convinced. It was that same James who wrote:

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬

According to the first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, James was eventually martyred for his confident faith in Jesus—his brother and his Lord.

Here are five things to note from James’ mini-sermon:

• First, the text says “WHEN troubles of any kind come your way…” It’s not if but when troubles come our way. We live in a broken world that has not yet been fully restored, so we shouldn’t be surprised when issues and challenges arise.

• Second, the text says “when troubles of ANY kind come your way…” Not merely ...