“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” — James 1:2

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Just the other day I listened to an audio devotion about thanking the Lord before anything happens. This really caught my attention, as most of us — including me — get caught up in asking for things in our prayers, and when the request is answered by the Lord, we thank Him for helping us. Since that devotion, I have been consciously trying to thank the Lord right when I wake up in the morning, thanking Him for all the things He will help me with during the day.

When I have a day where I fall into a pit of despair, I immediately start thinking, “There is no way I am getting out of this … there are no solutions to this problem … look at all the damage I have caused because of what I did.” Satan has a way of completely blowing up the entire situation to the point where you might be thinking similar thoughts.

How in the world can James (the brother of Jesus) write in the Book of James (1:2), “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds”? When I fall into the pit, how in the world can I find joy in the situation?

This is a very unconventional answer: Thank the Lord in your situation. We coach up our players all the time — we push them to struggle through tough times, we push them beyond what they think they can accomplish, we encourage them not to give up, we tell them to fall back on what they have been taught and finish strong.

Here is how you find joy while in the pit: Thank the Lord for never leaving you. Deuteronomy 31:8 tells us, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Thank the Lord for His wisdom. James 1:5 reads, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” And Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

These are great places to start when you fall into the pit of despair. With the Lord guiding you through the entire process of getting out of the pit, you know you are in the best hands in the universe.

Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob, was put into a literal pit by his jealous brothers. Joseph was screaming while he was in the pit, he thought his life was over. Then his brothers sold him to some gypsies, who sold him to Potiphar’s household to become a steward for Potiphar. Then he was falsely accused of assaulting Potiphar’s wife and put into prison. Over time, the Lord helped Him interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and Joseph was released and given a position in Pharaoh’s court, and he was eventually placed as second in command in Egypt. Over time, the brothers and Joseph reconciled. But all of this happened because Joseph was thrown into a pit of despair.

Whatever your pit might be, start your day thanking Jesus, our Lord and Savior, for all the teaching and learning you will receive through your experiences today. Then you will be able to count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds. Praise God through the struggles!

— Mr. Jan Hethcock

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