Encouraging Words – Finding Joy First: a Fresh Look at James 1

By Daniel Bobinski

Have you ever been blindsided by a trial in your life and then heard someone quote James 1:2, telling you to “consider it pure joy” when you encounter trials? If you’re like most people, you might think, “Yeah, right. Easy for you to say!”

Earlier this year I felt the Lord prodding me to study “joy” in Scripture. Many verses discuss joy, but those who know me will often hear me say, “Translations can vary widely, so read the Bible for concepts, and when something catches your eye or when God gives you a nudge to dig deeper, go to the original language.”

With so many Bible apps and programs available, we no longer need to be Greek scholars to explore the original writings. My preferred tool is BlueLetterBible.org (also BLB.org), and the first place I dug deep to explore “joy” was James 1:2-4.

What I discovered is very different from how this verse is normally presented. Frankly, it changed my life. Perhaps it will change yours, too.

Here’s what James 1:2-4 says in most English translations: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Many interpret this verse to mean we should choose joy when we encounter a trial because the trial will eventually make us stronger. That’s not wrong, but I believe there’s more to it.

To help understand where I’ll be going with this, first think about Matthew 7:24-27, where Jesus tells us how important it is to build our house on Him and His wisdom.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

The analogy here is that it’s the strength of the foundation of a house that enables the house to withstand tough times. You wouldn’t wait for a storm to hit and then decide to build a foundation under your house, right?

I believe James is telling us that joy works the same way. When we choose joy as our foundation and build our lives on that strength before life’s storms hit, then we’re much better equipped to handle whatever comes our way. And there’s a bonus. We become more mature as we weather the storm.

One of the things that led me to this viewpoint is the result of a deep dive into the word “because” at the beginning of James 1:3. Instead of “because,” a more precise translation of the Greek word ginōskontes is “knowing that,” or even “since you know that.” If we dig even deeper, we see the word establishes a causal relationship, but in a different grammatical way than the English word “because.”

This subtle distinction is important because the Greek word can suggest that this knowledge is ongoing or already established. With that, one could think of James’ meaning as follows:

Since you know (or should know) that God, with all His joy, is in charge, and you’re already basking in His joy, then continue in that joy with the trials come. The trials will merely strengthen you. You will persevere through them and grow even more mature.

Let me give you another example. Remember when you learned to swim? Most of us didn’t learn during a flood or when we accidentally fell into deep water. We learned in controlled environments with parents or instructors nearby. We built the skill first so that if we ever found ourselves in trouble, we’d already know what to do.

Choosing joy works similarly. If we practice choosing joy daily – during good times and small challenges – we’re developing a spiritual muscle. Then, when large trials come (and they will), choosing joy won’t feel like such an impossible task.

Want some motivation for being joyful even when large struggles come? Listen to what James says:

• We will persevere.
• We will become even more mature.
• We will become complete – more like Jesus.

James isn’t telling us to fake happiness or pretend everything’s fine when it’s not. He’s telling us that biblical joy runs deeper than circumstances. It’s a confidence that God is good, that He’s in control, and that we can take joy in the fact that God is strengthening us, regardless of the trial we’re facing.

So how do we choose joy before trials hit? Here are a few practical tips:

• Start your day acknowledging God’s goodness. Throughout your morning routine, thank God for His amazing love and ask Him to fill you with His joy throughout the day.
• Train your mind to see God’s work everywhere. The unexpected text from a friend? The opportunity to do something kind for a stranger? These aren’t coincidences – they’re God at work.
• Practice gratitude even in small struggles. When you’re stuck in traffic, choose to thank God for the extra time to pray or listen to worship music.

If we regularly take joy that God is working in our lives during peaceful times, then when things like relationship problems, financial struggles, or health issues arise, we already have joy as our footing. We won’t need to start from scratch, trying to manufacture joy in the middle of a crisis.

Bottom line, don’t wait for trials to choose joy. Choose joy first, and then when trials come, you already have a solid foundation.

Daniel Bobinski, Th.D., is an award-winning and best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. Reach him at [email protected] or (208) 649-6400.