Tiago 1

Tiago 1:2

MacArthur explains that all joy "is variously interpreted by commentators as meaning pure joy, unmixed joy, complete and total joy, or sheer joy. From the context, it seems that all of those meanings are fitting. James is speaking of a unique fullness of joy that the Lord graciously provides His children when they willingly and uncomplainingly endure troubles while trusting in Him—regardless of the cause, type, or severity of the distress. He will always use them for our benefit and for His own glory. It is not because of some sort of religious masochism, but rather a sincere trust in the promise and goodness of our Lord, that we can look on trials as a welcome friend, knowing with Joseph that what may have been meant for evil against us, God means for good (Ge 50:20; cf. Ro 8:28+). We are not just to act joyful, in reluctant pretense, but to be genuinely joyful. It is a matter of will, not of feelings, and should be the conscious, (ED: SPIRIT ENABLED) determined commitment of every faithful believer. And because God commands it, it is within the ability, under the Spirit’s provision, of every true Christian. (ED: GOD'S COMMANDMENTS ALWAYS COME PRE-PACKAGED WITH HIS GOD'S ENABLEMENTS!) When faith in Jesus Christ is genuine, James assures us, even the worst of troubles can and should be cause for thanksgiving (1Th 5:18+) and rejoicing. The more we rejoice in our testings, the more we realize that they are not liabilities but privileges, ultimately beneficial and not harmful, no matter how destructive and painful the immediate experience of them might appear. When we face trials with the attitude that James admonishes, we discover that the greatest part of the joy is drawing closer to the Lord—the Source of all joy—by becoming more sensitive to His presence, His goodness, His love, and His grace. Our prayer life increases, as does our interest in and study of the Word, and in each of those ways our joy increases all the more. (SEE James MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 21) Commenting on consider it all joy, Theodore Epp remarks that… To have joy does not necessarily mean we will be hilarious and laughing about the trials we are experiencing, but it means we will have a deep-seated confidence that God knows what He is doing and that the results will be for His glory and our good. (Theodore Epp: James the Epistle of Applied Christianity) Believers should (and can) see their trials not so much as obstacles but as opportunities Note that James is not commanding believers to enjoy their trials per se which in themselves are often grievous and not necessarily joyful. If this were his intent, James would be calling for a "stoic-like" resignation, in which one simply "grins and bears" the trial. To the contrary, James is saying that believers should (and can) see their trials not so much as obstacles but as opportunities, which when "leavened" with God's grace, prove to be "fertilizer" for growth in Christ-likeness. Trials when seen with eyes of faith (cp He 11:1+; 2Co 5:7) can then be accepted as God's tools for producing beneficial results and can then be occasions for rejoicing. As an aside, James is not a masochist and is not calling for us to seek out or needlessly rush into trials. One thinks in fact of Jesus' words that we are to pray "lead us not into testing (temptation)" (Mt 6:13+) regarding which Mayor comments… One who is conscious of his own weakness may without inconsistency pray that he may be kept out of temptation, and yet, when he is brought into it through no fault of his own but by God's providential ordering, he may feel such trust in Divine support as to rejoice in an opportunity of proving his faithfulness. Steven