“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”

James 1:2

Over the years I’ve had to deal with a number of issues in my life. From health issues to personal issues. All of which have the potential to send me into a depression or at the very least leave one feeling sorry for oneself.

When we are in difficult days, many times the last thing we think about is how trouble can be “an opportunity for great joy.” Many times we can’t help think, "seriously, God?" But instead of closing our Bible in frustration, we should sense the nudging from God to take a deep breath and take a deep dive into His word! These are the moments when we can find beautiful encouragement in store for us just when we need it most.

James wrote the above verse during a time when Christians allowed the frustrations and annoyances of life to steal their optimism and joy. But in their defense, these believers had a lot of serious reasons to have a bad attitude.

They faced unrelenting trials and sufferings – from murder to imprisonment at the hand of Saul, who was zealous in his efforts to destroy everyone associated with Jesus. As a result, these Christians were juggling emotions like fear, mourning, confusion, loneliness and hopelessness.

Some fled their homes in fear for their lives. They lived in poverty, forced to scrounge for food to survive. Some were sick, and everyone was exhausted. They had every right to be negative and pessimistic. I can only imagine as they sunk under the weight of overwhelming problems and fears, that their faith might have been sinking, too.

When life gets hard, it’s difficult to avoid letting a bad attitude take over our minds and rule our lives. We might not experience religious persecution as those first believers did, but let’s face it – people hurt us, the past haunts us, coworkers mistreat us, parents don’t love us, friends don’t consider us, spouses don’t honor us, children don’t appreciate us, finances don’t support us, and our health doesn’t sustain us.

I’ve found that enduring problems with a smile and joy in my hearts can be difficult, but doing so not only helps me become a stronger believer, but it also opens the door for an attitude transformation!

Our attitudes are an outward display of what’s taking place in our hearts. When our hearts focus in on the right place, our attitudes will too. Never forget that the only thing we have to lose by choosing a positive attitude is a negative attitude!

So join me in thinking on this truth this week.

Standing in the gap,

Pastor Paul