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Feb. 12, 2025
Consider It
🎙 Consider It Pure Joy
Life throws challenges our way—trials that shake us, seasons of waiting that test our patience, and struggles that push us beyond what we think we can handle. But what if those trials weren’t meant to break us, but to build us?
In this episode, we dive into James 1:2-3 and the radical call to consider it pure joy when we face hardships. How can we find joy in suffering? How do we shift our perspective to see God's purpose in our pain?
Join us as we explore the transformative power of trials, the perseverance they produce, and the deep, unshakable joy that comes from trusting God—even when life feels overwhelming.
If you’ve ever wondered how to hold onto faith in the middle of the storm, this episode is for you. 🎧✨
Transcript
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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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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,
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our actions, our emotions, overtaking every move.
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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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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
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probably played into it, but you have to be the one to make the decision.
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What is consuming you? What is shaping your thoughts?
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You can't consider anything joyful if your mind is overwhelmed
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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
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to your core, not strengthen you. It's going
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to shake you, to loosen you, to cause you to doubt.
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The testing of your faith produces perseverance.
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00:24:47,790 --> 00:24:51,446
But if we aren't standing on God's Word, what exactly
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is our faith being built on? Our thoughts,
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our emotions, the opinions of the world?
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One way or another, something will shape your reality. The question
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is, will it be God's truth or the world's distractions?
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Your thinking, ultimately your outcome will always
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align with what you dwell on. Even if you've convinced
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yourself you're standing in faith, if it's not truly
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rooted in him, it will crumble under pressure.
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So let me ask you, what are you meditating on?
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What is shaping your perspective when the storm
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00:25:36,048 --> 00:25:38,300
hits? What's inside you?
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What's inside you is what will
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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,
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offering peace beyond understanding. It's not about empty repetition.
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It's about allowing his truth to take root in our hearts.
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And when it does, we become unshakable.
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00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:08,764
We may not have all the answers, but it's
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something else about believing God's word. And you know,
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without a shadow of a doubt, he has us.
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That's faith. And faith must be exercised
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to grow. That's why trials come. James 1,
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2:4 tells us to consider pure joy because endurance,
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when fully developed, makes us mature,
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complete and lacking nothing.
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But I'm going to read this from the Message Bible. I want you to hear
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it a different way. It says, consider it a sheer gift,
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friends. When tests and challenges come
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at you from all sides. You know that under pressure,
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your faith life is forced into the open
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and shows its true colors. So don't try to get
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out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so
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you become mature and wealth developed and not deficient
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in any way. But I want
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to be clear with something. I want to be clear with something with you.
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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
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to start setting in. Doubt is always
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00:27:23,588 --> 00:27:26,572
lurking, waiting to take hold.
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00:27:26,756 --> 00:27:30,364
The enemy is constantly working, using distractions
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to flood our minds with fear and anxiety.
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00:27:33,540 --> 00:27:37,804
He tempts us with escape routes, with ways to numb
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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?
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He whispers in your ear that life is unfair,
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that we shouldn't have to endure this, that God
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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
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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
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truth. You don't overcome by running from trials.
445
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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
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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
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00:28:48,372 --> 00:28:52,740
isn't found in temporary relief, worldly success or distraction.
452
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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.
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What will you choose to dwell on? Will you fix your eyes
455
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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
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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.
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It's an honor to build your faith in Him.
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00:29:24,460 --> 00:29:28,388
God loves you so much that he is preparing you,
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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,
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beyond the trial, beyond the heartbreak. And he's shaping
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you for something greater, to pass through this life
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into his eternity. You are not forgotten,
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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
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Just think about that. How incredible is his love for you
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and me. He sees us as worthy of preparation
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and ensuring we don't stumble and lose ourselves in the emptiness
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of life. Instead, he strengthens us to stand
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through every test, equipping us with the answers
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we need right there in his word.
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It's not a shortcut or a cheat sheet,
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as the world might want to try to call it and demean it.
477
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It's his truth. The ultimate answer
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to every challenge we face.
479
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How loved are we to get the word
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from Him? So instead of seeing your challenges
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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
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Embrace it. Trust that he is working all
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things together for your good.
485
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So in conclusion today, whatever you're facing,
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whatever that is, lean into him. I want you
487
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to consider it joy. Not because it's easy, but because he
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is with you every step of the way. He is our
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Joy. We have an ally.
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We are headed to eternity.
491
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Don't give up. So instead of searching for a way
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out, let's search for him. Instead of numbing the pain, let's surrender
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to Him. Instead of rejecting the trials, let's trust that through
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them, he is making us stronger,
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00:31:33,792 --> 00:31:37,200
wiser, and more like him. If we try to do this
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on our own, we're going to fail. I promise you that you will fail.
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00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,920
So talk to him. Ask him, which way should you go? What should
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00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,200
you do? And wait for the answer. He has
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it. And remember, these trials
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is just one part of a big picture.
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00:31:57,090 --> 00:31:59,274
It's a part that needs to be refined,
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00:31:59,402 --> 00:32:02,810
stretched. And you got to endure and have this
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00:32:02,850 --> 00:32:06,122
perseverance. And through it,
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you're going to get joy, peace and endurance. And you're being perfected.
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00:32:10,850 --> 00:32:14,186
And one day you're going to be complete. And we're
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going to all be lacking nothing. It's all part of the equation.
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00:32:19,100 --> 00:32:22,200
Every challenge, every lesson,
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00:32:22,540 --> 00:32:26,596
every tear you're shedding is shaping you into who
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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
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00:32:33,900 --> 00:32:37,092
a trial, remember you have a choice. You can
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consider it misery, allowing it to hold you down,
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00:32:40,524 --> 00:32:44,314
or you can consider it joy, allowing it to lift you,
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00:32:44,372 --> 00:32:47,930
your eyes to the One who will lead you through
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it all. So make the conscious
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choice today. Consider it joy.
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Meditate on God's word. Allow his love to
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consume you, his word to lead you,
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00:33:02,950 --> 00:33:06,622
his peace to sustain you. And his promises
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00:33:06,766 --> 00:33:10,120
to guide you. Are you willing to
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consider it Joy? So let's pray.
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00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,360
Lord, bless those who are in the midst of their
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struggles, wrestling to find joy. In their trials,
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00:33:21,352 --> 00:33:25,032
open their hearts and mind to your word that they may trust in your
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00:33:25,056 --> 00:33:28,728
precepts and understand that even when the path is unclear,
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you're guiding them with purpose. Let their footing
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00:33:32,712 --> 00:33:36,082
be firm in your truth and their hearts restore, receptive to the
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00:33:36,106 --> 00:33:38,510
unfailing love you have poured out.
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00:33:38,970 --> 00:33:42,562
Remind us, Father, that your love is so great
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00:33:42,746 --> 00:33:46,562
for us that you sent your son Jesus to die for
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our sins, not to condemn us, but to redeem us.
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00:33:51,290 --> 00:33:54,870
What we face now is not a punishment, but preparation,
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building within us the endurance, the strength
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00:33:59,442 --> 00:34:03,404
and faith to withstand, and every challenge leading
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00:34:03,452 --> 00:34:07,040
us ever closer to your eternal presence.
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00:34:07,620 --> 00:34:10,908
In Jesus name we receive your word,
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00:34:11,004 --> 00:34:14,204
your truth in our hearts and believe it.
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00:34:14,372 --> 00:34:15,280
Amen.
00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:05,368
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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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,
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our actions, our emotions, overtaking every move.
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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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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
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probably played into it, but you have to be the one to make the decision.
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What is consuming you? What is shaping your thoughts?
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You can't consider anything joyful if your mind is overwhelmed
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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
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to your core, not strengthen you. It's going
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to shake you, to loosen you, to cause you to doubt.
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The testing of your faith produces perseverance.
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But if we aren't standing on God's Word, what exactly
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is our faith being built on? Our thoughts,
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our emotions, the opinions of the world?
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One way or another, something will shape your reality. The question
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is, will it be God's truth or the world's distractions?
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Your thinking, ultimately your outcome will always
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align with what you dwell on. Even if you've convinced
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yourself you're standing in faith, if it's not truly
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rooted in him, it will crumble under pressure.
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So let me ask you, what are you meditating on?
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What is shaping your perspective when the storm
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hits? What's inside you?
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What's inside you is what will
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come out.
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His Word fills the gaps in our pain,
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offering peace beyond understanding. It's not about empty repetition.
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It's about allowing his truth to take root in our hearts.
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And when it does, we become unshakable.
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We may not have all the answers, but it's
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something else about believing God's word. And you know,
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without a shadow of a doubt, he has us.
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That's faith. And faith must be exercised
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to grow. That's why trials come. James 1,
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2:4 tells us to consider pure joy because endurance,
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when fully developed, makes us mature,
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complete and lacking nothing.
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But I'm going to read this from the Message Bible. I want you to hear
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it a different way. It says, consider it a sheer gift,
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friends. When tests and challenges come
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at you from all sides. You know that under pressure,
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your faith life is forced into the open
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and shows its true colors. So don't try to get
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out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so
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you become mature and wealth developed and not deficient
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in any way. But I want
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to be clear with something. I want to be clear with something with you.
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This isn't about pretending everything is fine or ignoring the weight of what
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we're facing. Because if you do that, doubt is going
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to start setting in. Doubt is always
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lurking, waiting to take hold.
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The enemy is constantly working, using distractions
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to flood our minds with fear and anxiety.
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He tempts us with escape routes, with ways to numb
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the pain, avoid the process, or place the blame elsewhere.
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It's exhausting, this endless cycle that
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leaves us feeling empty and lost. And that's
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exactly what he wants. You see?
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He whispers in your ear that life is unfair,
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that we shouldn't have to endure this, that God
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is distant. See, he didn't even answer you.
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He tempts us to find relief in temporary fixes.
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Start searching on the Internet, start watching these different shows, Start listening to
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these old music that used to make us feel good. Anything to silence
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the struggle for just a moment. But here's the
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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.