Consider It

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Hello, beautiful souls, and welcome to in the Noise podcast.

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Here we believe in God's word,

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we stand on his truth, and together,

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we use it as a compass to navigate life's challenges.

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I'm Nancy Roundtree, your host, and I'm so

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glad you're here. Today we're

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diving into a powerful truth from

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James 1:3,

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which says, consider it pure joy.

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My brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many

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kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith

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produces perseverance.

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But let's be real. When we're facing

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trials, when life feels overwhelming,

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joy is often the last things on our

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minds. So why does God call us to consider it pure joy?

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What does that really mean for us in the middle of hardship,

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heartbreak and uncertainty?

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Well, in this episode, we're going to explore what it means to

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consider it pure joy and learn to shift our

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focus, focus and lean into God more. And to see our

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struggles not as a punishment, but as preparation. Because what

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you're going through right now is not without purpose. So before

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we get into everything, let's go ahead and start off with

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a quick prayer, because that is very much

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important here. Holy God, we come before

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you, thirsty for your word, your understanding.

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Let our hearts be open to your word to

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encourage us, strengthen us and be a guide to our

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path. Help us to understand what it means to consider

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it joy. When we face many trials,

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we know they are all for a purpose.

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Give us perseverance so we can finish this race and

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rest in your eternity. In Jesus name we

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pray. Amen. Well,

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this is season three, Episode one. Consider it pure joy.

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And I know it's been a while.

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Yes. I'm going to tell you right now, it was

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my season to go through some things these last six months,

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and through it, I had to learn how to,

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you know, consider it pure joy myself when facing all

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those trials and tribulations and stuff that I had to go through.

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But before I get started, let me first say thank you to

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all of you who have prayed with me and for me, those who

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have constantly checked on me, even the ones who checked on me once in

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a blue moon, and also those who encouraged me during these challenging

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times. I pray that God blesses you tremendously

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for your time and sacrifice. I really do appreciate it.

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All that which you gave me was definitely water that

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I needed to quench the

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fuel and the fire and everything else that I was going through all at the

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same time. So thank you so much for everything that you all have done and

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praise God for you.

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Now, this particular topic really hits home for me.

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I had to learn and trust this scripture

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in James 1:2 through the third

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verse, consider it pure joy. My brothers and sisters, whenever you

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face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of

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your faith produces perseverance.

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Well, I know many of us know these words. I know many of

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us have heard these words. And wise in their meaning and tone,

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they roll off the lips effortlessly, yet often the meaning

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behind them seems foreign or so

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distanced from our reality when we're going through things.

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In fact, most people do the opposite. They complain,

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whine, or they have the victim mentality. And that is

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completely opposite of considering it pure joy. When we

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face all these different trials that we're going to go through,

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I noticed that during peaceful moments, it's so easy to

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say what we woulda, coulda, shoulda did during trials

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or when we were watching someone else going through something. But when that battle hits

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our doorsteps, that's when the tests come and that's when our

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faith is really tested. And I know

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we all face hardships. We face some type of loss,

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pain, some type of heartbreak, weaknesses,

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some disappointments. But these trials that

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shake us to our core, they challenge our mindset

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and expose whether those scriptures that we were

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so easily to quote for others, if they're really,

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truly rooted inside of us,

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James tells us that the testing of our faith

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produces perseverance. Yet in those moments,

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we've all wondered, will I make

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it through? What do I do? Or maybe we've

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even said, I just plain give up. I just don't have any more energy

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for that. These struggles aren't something to be ashamed

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of because we all go through them. And they are definitely necessary,

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as I have found out, because it stretched me.

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And as believers, if we exhaust our own strength,

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we will hit a wall. We're going to get tired until

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we have no choice but to trust God completely and those

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who may be listening and aren't saved. Maybe you found

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yourself just trying to do everything in your might to change the circumstances and

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you just can't do it. And the question comes up,

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will I make it through this? That question

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reveals our faith in what we have been practicing

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and what we believe in those questions.

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It pushes us beyond the surface belief, forcing us to see

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if God's truth is just words on a page or

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truly planted in our hearts. And when

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we reach the end of ourselves, meaning exhausted

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everything and we learn to lean on him, it's in those moments

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of doubt that we find His Word is the light

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guiding us through the darkness.

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The writer of James is James.

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He was Jesus brother, and he was a man who faced his own struggles

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and believing that Christ was the Messiah

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while he was growing up. He wasn't a disciple,

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nor was he a prophet during Jesus time.

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Yet through his transformation, he penned

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these words in James 1, 2 and 3 to

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the downtrodden, the words that spoke to

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them stretched beyond the pages of history to

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speak to us today. And like an arrow,

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they pierced the hearts of those who first heard them,

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carrying the same weight, strength, speed and reach our

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hearts now to consider it joy

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when we go through various trials.

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And as we navigate various trials, they often parallel the seasons

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going on in our lives, requiring us to adjust to

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shifting weather patterns. So too our circumstances calling us to

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adapt and grow. And yet, through every lesson

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along our journey, we are called to trust God as He prepares

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us for the next place that we have to go through.

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And for some, that step of faith is not always easy,

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but it's always necessary. It's natural

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to feel unsettled when stepping into a new challenge and

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season of life, especially when the outcome is so

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unclear. We carry countless experiences

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and to dismiss them, to pretend they don't shape us.

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We will be deceiving ourselves in those moments of uncertainty.

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Perhaps you've convinced yourself that a solution we devise

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in the midst of a storm is the right one.

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We plan, we plot, manipulate, just only to exhaust

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ourselves and our means. But how many of us have been wrong

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making those immediate decisions? Well, I'm going to tell you

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right now, I'm raising my hand because I know I've been wrong many times.

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Yet our initial response is, which pops into our head.

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It has no logic, no reasoning, no sustainability,

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and is often misguided, especially during those emotional turmoils

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when we feel our backs are against the wall. My brother

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used to say to me, just let the death settle. Then you can make

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certain decisions. Yet when

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the storm rages and our plans unravel,

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uncertainty and doubt creeps in which challenges

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and tests our might.

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And these can make us question our

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relationship with God, or ask him, where is he in the middle

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of all of this? Even David in Psalms repeatedly

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ask God, when would he speak? When would he act?

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And yet the Bible calls David a man after God's own heart.

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Why was that? Because despite the questions,

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the challenges he faced, the uncertainty, the death threats,

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the bleakness all around him, he trusted

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in God's certainty when

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things felt uncertain.

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As humans, we crave immediate answers

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and solutions. But God's timing operates

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beyond what we can see in the moment,

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it's perfect timing. We just have to be patient.

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And if we take David's stance, choosing to trust even

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when clarity is absent, we will know without a

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shadow of doubt that God's hand is in our lives.

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If you just take a moment to reflect and remember how his strength

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has carried us through all. All those things that we've come through.

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In those moments when we had nothing left to give,

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when the fog of life clouded our vision and

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the way forward seemed impossible, it was his strength

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that sustained us. Through him,

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we didn't just survive, we endured.

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We overcame and we grew. But on our

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own strength, we run out of fuel quickly.

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One of the things that I'm reminded of is that in Romans

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8:37, we are more than conquerors through him

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who loved us. Think about that just for a moment.

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More than conquerors.

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We're not just survivors. We're not just barely making

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it, but we are victorious through Christ.

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God is always preparing us, shaping us through seasons of

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growth, lessons, and, yes, even pain

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to be conquerors. In those moments, we are called

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to grow deeper in him, to trust him more,

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and to press into his promises. So when James

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says consider it, it's not in casual conversations,

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my friend. It's a powerful call to shift our

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perspective in the midst of the struggles.

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Yes, the bills stack up.

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Yes, our children push every limit

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in us, testing our patients.

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Yes, jobs are lost or perhaps even threatened.

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Illnesses strike sometimes in our own body,

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and other times we have to sit on the sideline and watch our loved

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ones go through some things. And some of us

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have been cast aside by family members or friends,

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our reputations unfairly tarnished, and we're burdened

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with labels we've never deserved.

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Yet even in all of this,

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God's word remains. We are more

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than conquerors, not by our own strength, but by

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His. And still, despite everything,

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Scripture tells us, still to consider it pure

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joy. Now, I want you to do this with me. Just say it out

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loud. Consider it pure joy. Let's try it again.

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Consider it pure joy. And when we

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say this out loud, it clashes with everything inside of us. I know it

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did with me. It challenges the way we think,

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the way we believe we should respond.

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Consider it pure joy. When we're facing trials,

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when we're being tested,

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joy and hardship don't seem to belong in the same breath.

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But Scripture calls us to a perspective beyond

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what we feel, beyond what we see,

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to a faith that recognizes purpose, even in pain,

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even in our weakest moments. Maybe you're thinking

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right now and hearing these words and you're wondering, how do I

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do this? How do we find joy when life is pressing

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in from every side? Maybe you're sitting at your table

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listening to this podcast, or maybe you're riding in your car. Maybe you're

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just thinking about a whole plethora of things that's just

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going on in your mind and things that you're battling right

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now. The weight of financial strain may be squeezing

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the air from your lungs and you just don't have anything else to

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give. Maybe you're lying away at night,

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replaying conversations, wondering if you're

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going to lose your job. Or maybe you've received

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a diagnosis that wasn't positive. Or maybe you've been

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the recipient of betrayal and you feel like you'll

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never stop feeling like you've been gut punched.

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Maybe you've prayed, pleaded and

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held on as tightly as you can, yet nothing

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seems to change. At least that's what it

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appears like to you. And now you hear James

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saying to us from so many years ago,

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consider it pure joy. Maybe you're trying to

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wrestle with that in your mind and maybe doubt is trying to

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creep in Joy. And this how

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do I do that? Because let's be honest,

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when we're in the thick of it, that command feels impossible

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to do. Our mind just automatically rejects it.

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Our bodies definitely resist. No, we're going to try to fix

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this. We're going to try to do this. We're going to try to do that

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to make it work. Our minds tell us, don't be considering this joy.

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We need to figure out how we going to work through this.

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We crave relief from the weight we're carrying.

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The heartbreak, the disappointment, the struggle that never seems to end.

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And the truth is, the truth is we

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don't want to go through anything difficult.

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We don't want to be tested,

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stretched or refined.

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We want the results of the trial without

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enduring the process of the test.

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We want the end results. I should say so.

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We just look for a way out. We seek something,

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anything, to dull the pain. Just think about it.

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When you have a headache, you reach for medicine to ease the discomfort.

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When life hurts, we do the same thing. We try to

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outrun the struggles. Changing our appearance, adjusting our

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behavior, chasing up success, searching for something on the Internet,

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hoping if we just become someone different,

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the pain will just disappear. And other times,

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we turn to distractions that often seem harmless,

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even good. But deep down, deep down,

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we know they pull us further from God.

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But here's the truth. No matter how fast we run.

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The pain remains. It lingers

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in the distance, waiting.

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And eventually it catches up until we

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stop running and face the storm and allow God to

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strengthen us through it.

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Some, when the pain becomes unbearable,

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seek escape in more destructive ways, unhealthy ways,

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substance that numb the ache, distractions that

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offer only fleeting relief.

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They just want a moment to breathe, a moment to forget.

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But again, it's just a moment. You still got to come

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back. And tragically, some believe the only way to silence

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the pain, to silence the noise in their head,

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to just. Just. Just to stop it all, is to end it all.

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But hear this, my friend. Running away does

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nothing. But going through builds character.

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None of our escapes bring the lasting peace we long

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for. They only leave us emptier,

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more lost, and further from the joy God calls us to.

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So how. How do we do it? How do we consider it joy

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when everything in us wants to run, hide and numb

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the pain? How do we do this? Because in our human understanding,

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again, joy and pain just don't belong together. They don't need

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to be sitting in the same boat together. Sound like they gonna be fighting.

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And yet God still calls us to trust that scripture,

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even in suffering, because there is something greater at

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work. You see, our joy

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isn't tied to our circumstances, but in our

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trust in him, to a faith that believes

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even when nothing else makes sense.

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The answer isn't in pretending our struggles don't

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exist. Let me. Let me. Let me just make sure you're not confused

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about this here. It's in seeing them through the lens

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of God's greater purpose. It's about trusting

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that he's working behind the scenes,

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strengthening us, refining us, preparing us for something

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greater than we can even possibly imagine.

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We have to lean into God even when

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it's hard,

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even while we can't see Him. We just have to lean into Him.

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And we do that through the Word. And we have to remind ourselves

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that trials are not punishment.

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They are preparations. James 1:3 tells us

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that the testing of our faith, it produces perseverance.

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But let's be clear about this. God isn't

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asking you to fake joy either. He don't want you to be raising up

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your hand and say, oh, Lord, thank you, thank you, thank you. And you really

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don't believe it. Nor is he rejoicing in

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your circumstances. He's inviting us

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to trust that he is working even

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when we don't see it. He is calling us to rejoice

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in Him. That's our joy.

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And that kind of joy, my friend, it doesn't

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depend on circumstances, but on God's faithfulness.

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That's the joy that carries us through.

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But to get there, our mindset has to change.

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You cannot be like you are right now and then trying

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to consider it joy and still in this battle with it.

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See, our mind has to be in alignment with God's Word.

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Seeing our struggles as pure joy is fueled by the

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Scriptures which nourishes our lives,

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while the old ways of thinking fade away like exhaust

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fumes, nothing more than remnants of what we leave behind.

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But let's be clear. A choice has to be made in the

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midst of trials. When you think about the word consider,

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it carries weight. It's not a fleeting thought

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or a passive reflection. It's an intentional act

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to examine, to meditate on, to shift your perspective.

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It's a choice that challenges everything in

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us. A choice you have to make,

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and you will make it. Whether you're thinking,

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you're not making one, it doesn't matter. Because not making one

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means a choice was made.

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The word consider stands between two options.

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We can consider it joy, or there's a

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flip side. We can consider it misery. The choice is

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ours to make. God, in his wisdom,

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he's not going to force us. He calls us

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to decide how we will perceive our trials.

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Will we stay buried in the weight of our struggles?

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Or will we lift our eyes and trust that he is working through them?

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We rejoice in him that he is our joy.

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This is the heart of James 1, 2 and 3. Consider it

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pure joy. My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds

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because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

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God isn't dismissing our pain. He's inviting

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us to see beyond it. But let's

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00:22:16,578 --> 00:22:20,626
be real now. How often have we let a struggle

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consume us, replaying the pain over

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and over, allowing it to dictate our thoughts,

355
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our actions, our emotions, overtaking every move.

356
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When we dwell on hardship without anchoring ourselves in

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God's truth, it will overtake us. It is a

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thing that is getting our energy.

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It's being fed. We're pouring into it. So guess what? It will grow.

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However, God instructs us to meditate on His Word day and night.

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Joshua 1 and 8. Why is that? Because what we

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focus on becomes the foundation of our lives.

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If our minds are filled with fear, doubt and distractions,

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those things will shape us. But if we fill our hearts

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with His Word, it strengthens us. It becomes

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what we hold onto when trials come.

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Think about it. A scripture drops into Our mind, when we're going

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through something, all of a sudden start wanting

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to sing a song that's scripturally based,

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that gives us reassurance, direction and encouragement.

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Nothing is haphazardly done with God,

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but we gotta have something to pull from.

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So we have to. We have to shift our focus.

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Proverbs 23:7 reminds us. For as he thinks

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in his heart, so is he. So why do we often

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separate God's truth from our daily struggles?

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Distractions, the constant noise of life,

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the pull of everything demanding our attention.

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But here's the hard reality. We have to take

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00:24:06,618 --> 00:24:10,034
ownership of this. We have to stop making excuses, saying that it's

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everybody else's fault. Yes, there's some people that

382
00:24:13,810 --> 00:24:17,350
probably played into it, but you have to be the one to make the decision.

383
00:24:18,290 --> 00:24:22,030
What is consuming you? What is shaping your thoughts?

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You can't consider anything joyful if your mind is overwhelmed

385
00:24:26,842 --> 00:24:29,870
with things that drown out the word of God.

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If your faith isn't deeply rooted, the trials will shake you

387
00:24:34,434 --> 00:24:38,182
to your core, not strengthen you. It's going

388
00:24:38,206 --> 00:24:40,970
to shake you, to loosen you, to cause you to doubt.

389
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The testing of your faith produces perseverance.

390
00:24:47,790 --> 00:24:51,446
But if we aren't standing on God's Word, what exactly

391
00:24:51,558 --> 00:24:55,350
is our faith being built on? Our thoughts,

392
00:24:55,510 --> 00:24:58,610
our emotions, the opinions of the world?

393
00:24:59,310 --> 00:25:03,606
One way or another, something will shape your reality. The question

394
00:25:03,758 --> 00:25:07,850
is, will it be God's truth or the world's distractions?

395
00:25:11,710 --> 00:25:15,046
Your thinking, ultimately your outcome will always

396
00:25:15,118 --> 00:25:18,646
align with what you dwell on. Even if you've convinced

397
00:25:18,678 --> 00:25:22,454
yourself you're standing in faith, if it's not truly

398
00:25:22,502 --> 00:25:25,770
rooted in him, it will crumble under pressure.

399
00:25:27,390 --> 00:25:31,500
So let me ask you, what are you meditating on?

400
00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,936
What is shaping your perspective when the storm

401
00:25:36,048 --> 00:25:38,300
hits? What's inside you?

402
00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:43,200
What's inside you is what will

403
00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:44,060
come out.

404
00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,456
His Word fills the gaps in our pain,

405
00:25:49,648 --> 00:25:53,760
offering peace beyond understanding. It's not about empty repetition.

406
00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,860
It's about allowing his truth to take root in our hearts.

407
00:25:58,900 --> 00:26:03,600
And when it does, we become unshakable.

408
00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:08,764
We may not have all the answers, but it's

409
00:26:08,812 --> 00:26:12,680
something else about believing God's word. And you know,

410
00:26:13,140 --> 00:26:16,600
without a shadow of a doubt, he has us.

411
00:26:18,020 --> 00:26:21,692
That's faith. And faith must be exercised

412
00:26:21,756 --> 00:26:25,112
to grow. That's why trials come. James 1,

413
00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:29,260
2:4 tells us to consider pure joy because endurance,

414
00:26:29,420 --> 00:26:32,748
when fully developed, makes us mature,

415
00:26:32,924 --> 00:26:35,440
complete and lacking nothing.

416
00:26:36,740 --> 00:26:39,612
But I'm going to read this from the Message Bible. I want you to hear

417
00:26:39,636 --> 00:26:43,628
it a different way. It says, consider it a sheer gift,

418
00:26:43,804 --> 00:26:47,372
friends. When tests and challenges come

419
00:26:47,476 --> 00:26:51,068
at you from all sides. You know that under pressure,

420
00:26:51,164 --> 00:26:54,706
your faith life is forced into the open

421
00:26:54,858 --> 00:26:58,530
and shows its true colors. So don't try to get

422
00:26:58,570 --> 00:27:02,082
out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so

423
00:27:02,106 --> 00:27:06,082
you become mature and wealth developed and not deficient

424
00:27:06,146 --> 00:27:09,314
in any way. But I want

425
00:27:09,322 --> 00:27:12,514
to be clear with something. I want to be clear with something with you.

426
00:27:12,682 --> 00:27:16,450
This isn't about pretending everything is fine or ignoring the weight of what

427
00:27:16,490 --> 00:27:20,252
we're facing. Because if you do that, doubt is going

428
00:27:20,276 --> 00:27:23,516
to start setting in. Doubt is always

429
00:27:23,588 --> 00:27:26,572
lurking, waiting to take hold.

430
00:27:26,756 --> 00:27:30,364
The enemy is constantly working, using distractions

431
00:27:30,412 --> 00:27:33,200
to flood our minds with fear and anxiety.

432
00:27:33,540 --> 00:27:37,804
He tempts us with escape routes, with ways to numb

433
00:27:37,852 --> 00:27:41,884
the pain, avoid the process, or place the blame elsewhere.

434
00:27:42,012 --> 00:27:45,610
It's exhausting, this endless cycle that

435
00:27:45,650 --> 00:27:49,514
leaves us feeling empty and lost. And that's

436
00:27:49,562 --> 00:27:53,130
exactly what he wants. You see?

437
00:27:53,170 --> 00:27:57,466
He whispers in your ear that life is unfair,

438
00:27:57,658 --> 00:28:00,874
that we shouldn't have to endure this, that God

439
00:28:00,922 --> 00:28:03,750
is distant. See, he didn't even answer you.

440
00:28:05,170 --> 00:28:08,944
He tempts us to find relief in temporary fixes.

441
00:28:09,122 --> 00:28:12,692
Start searching on the Internet, start watching these different shows, Start listening to

442
00:28:12,716 --> 00:28:16,484
these old music that used to make us feel good. Anything to silence

443
00:28:16,532 --> 00:28:20,468
the struggle for just a moment. But here's the

444
00:28:20,524 --> 00:28:24,484
truth. You don't overcome by running from trials.

445
00:28:24,532 --> 00:28:27,600
You overcome by walking through them with Christ.

446
00:28:28,940 --> 00:28:32,164
Romans 12:2 reminds us, do not conform

447
00:28:32,212 --> 00:28:36,004
to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing

448
00:28:36,052 --> 00:28:39,652
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what

449
00:28:39,676 --> 00:28:43,360
God's will is. His good, pleasing and perfect will.

450
00:28:44,860 --> 00:28:48,324
So what are you meditating on? Pure joy

451
00:28:48,372 --> 00:28:52,740
isn't found in temporary relief, worldly success or distraction.

452
00:28:52,820 --> 00:28:56,164
It doesn't come from outside sources. It comes from God

453
00:28:56,212 --> 00:28:59,524
alone. So here's a challenge to you.

454
00:28:59,692 --> 00:29:03,524
What will you choose to dwell on? Will you fix your eyes

455
00:29:03,572 --> 00:29:06,724
on the uncertainty? Or will you anchor yourself in God's

456
00:29:06,772 --> 00:29:10,260
promises? Will you run from trials? Or will you

457
00:29:10,300 --> 00:29:14,132
let God develop you so that in the end you stay mature, complete and

458
00:29:14,156 --> 00:29:15,320
lacking nothing?

459
00:29:17,740 --> 00:29:20,932
And remember that your circumstances is not a punishment.

460
00:29:20,996 --> 00:29:24,160
It's an honor to build your faith in Him.

461
00:29:24,460 --> 00:29:28,388
God loves you so much that he is preparing you,

462
00:29:28,524 --> 00:29:32,004
strengthening you, refining you for the battles ahead.

463
00:29:32,172 --> 00:29:35,680
He sees beyond this moment that you're going through,

464
00:29:35,820 --> 00:29:39,544
beyond the trial, beyond the heartbreak. And he's shaping

465
00:29:39,592 --> 00:29:43,256
you for something greater, to pass through this life

466
00:29:43,328 --> 00:29:46,536
into his eternity. You are not forgotten,

467
00:29:46,568 --> 00:29:50,312
my friend. You are not ignored. I don't care what the

468
00:29:50,336 --> 00:29:53,500
enemy is telling you. You are being prepared.

469
00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,912
Just think about that. How incredible is his love for you

470
00:29:57,936 --> 00:30:01,660
and me. He sees us as worthy of preparation

471
00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:06,040
and ensuring we don't stumble and lose ourselves in the emptiness

472
00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,748
of life. Instead, he strengthens us to stand

473
00:30:09,804 --> 00:30:13,412
through every test, equipping us with the answers

474
00:30:13,476 --> 00:30:16,308
we need right there in his word.

475
00:30:16,484 --> 00:30:19,716
It's not a shortcut or a cheat sheet,

476
00:30:19,908 --> 00:30:23,140
as the world might want to try to call it and demean it.

477
00:30:23,260 --> 00:30:26,756
It's his truth. The ultimate answer

478
00:30:26,788 --> 00:30:28,800
to every challenge we face.

479
00:30:30,220 --> 00:30:33,960
How loved are we to get the word

480
00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:38,152
from Him? So instead of seeing your challenges

481
00:30:38,216 --> 00:30:41,896
as something to escape, see it as evidence of his

482
00:30:41,968 --> 00:30:46,184
great love maturing you. Consider it.

483
00:30:46,272 --> 00:30:50,360
Embrace it. Trust that he is working all

484
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,860
things together for your good.

485
00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:00,658
So in conclusion today, whatever you're facing,

486
00:31:00,784 --> 00:31:04,222
whatever that is, lean into him. I want you

487
00:31:04,246 --> 00:31:08,030
to consider it joy. Not because it's easy, but because he

488
00:31:08,070 --> 00:31:11,742
is with you every step of the way. He is our

489
00:31:11,846 --> 00:31:15,330
Joy. We have an ally.

490
00:31:15,830 --> 00:31:18,610
We are headed to eternity.

491
00:31:19,430 --> 00:31:22,990
Don't give up. So instead of searching for a way

492
00:31:23,030 --> 00:31:26,974
out, let's search for him. Instead of numbing the pain, let's surrender

493
00:31:27,022 --> 00:31:30,944
to Him. Instead of rejecting the trials, let's trust that through

494
00:31:31,032 --> 00:31:33,664
them, he is making us stronger,

495
00:31:33,792 --> 00:31:37,200
wiser, and more like him. If we try to do this

496
00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,340
on our own, we're going to fail. I promise you that you will fail.

497
00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,920
So talk to him. Ask him, which way should you go? What should

498
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,200
you do? And wait for the answer. He has

499
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:53,078
it. And remember, these trials

500
00:31:53,224 --> 00:31:56,190
is just one part of a big picture.

501
00:31:57,090 --> 00:31:59,274
It's a part that needs to be refined,

502
00:31:59,402 --> 00:32:02,810
stretched. And you got to endure and have this

503
00:32:02,850 --> 00:32:06,122
perseverance. And through it,

504
00:32:06,146 --> 00:32:09,790
you're going to get joy, peace and endurance. And you're being perfected.

505
00:32:10,850 --> 00:32:14,186
And one day you're going to be complete. And we're

506
00:32:14,218 --> 00:32:18,190
going to all be lacking nothing. It's all part of the equation.

507
00:32:19,100 --> 00:32:22,200
Every challenge, every lesson,

508
00:32:22,540 --> 00:32:26,596
every tear you're shedding is shaping you into who

509
00:32:26,668 --> 00:32:30,308
God created you to be. You are being prepared for

510
00:32:30,364 --> 00:32:33,860
eternity, my friend. So the next time you face

511
00:32:33,900 --> 00:32:37,092
a trial, remember you have a choice. You can

512
00:32:37,116 --> 00:32:40,388
consider it misery, allowing it to hold you down,

513
00:32:40,524 --> 00:32:44,314
or you can consider it joy, allowing it to lift you,

514
00:32:44,372 --> 00:32:47,930
your eyes to the One who will lead you through

515
00:32:48,230 --> 00:32:52,142
it all. So make the conscious

516
00:32:52,206 --> 00:32:55,810
choice today. Consider it joy.

517
00:32:56,550 --> 00:32:59,630
Meditate on God's word. Allow his love to

518
00:32:59,670 --> 00:33:02,830
consume you, his word to lead you,

519
00:33:02,950 --> 00:33:06,622
his peace to sustain you. And his promises

520
00:33:06,766 --> 00:33:10,120
to guide you. Are you willing to

521
00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:14,540
consider it Joy? So let's pray.

522
00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,360
Lord, bless those who are in the midst of their

523
00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,224
struggles, wrestling to find joy. In their trials,

524
00:33:21,352 --> 00:33:25,032
open their hearts and mind to your word that they may trust in your

525
00:33:25,056 --> 00:33:28,728
precepts and understand that even when the path is unclear,

526
00:33:28,904 --> 00:33:32,664
you're guiding them with purpose. Let their footing

527
00:33:32,712 --> 00:33:36,082
be firm in your truth and their hearts restore, receptive to the

528
00:33:36,106 --> 00:33:38,510
unfailing love you have poured out.

529
00:33:38,970 --> 00:33:42,562
Remind us, Father, that your love is so great

530
00:33:42,746 --> 00:33:46,562
for us that you sent your son Jesus to die for

531
00:33:46,586 --> 00:33:50,670
our sins, not to condemn us, but to redeem us.

532
00:33:51,290 --> 00:33:54,870
What we face now is not a punishment, but preparation,

533
00:33:55,210 --> 00:33:59,314
building within us the endurance, the strength

534
00:33:59,442 --> 00:34:03,404
and faith to withstand, and every challenge leading

535
00:34:03,452 --> 00:34:07,040
us ever closer to your eternal presence.

536
00:34:07,620 --> 00:34:10,908
In Jesus name we receive your word,

537
00:34:11,004 --> 00:34:14,204
your truth in our hearts and believe it.

538
00:34:14,372 --> 00:34:15,280
Amen.