Sue admits at the start that she barely got further than verse 2 with her preparations for this talk, so that is the focus for it!
Using an example of creative writing and experiences of friends, she reflects on the instruction to find joy in suffering that not only James, but also Paul, Peter and even Jesus talk about in the New Testament. I loved the words of one friend to ‘think of trials through Kingdom glasses, not the world’s glasses’ and another quote that ‘troubles are an opportunity to learn’. Difficult though it is, we are to ‘count it all joy when we go through trials’, just as Jesus, ‘for the joy set before him, endured the cross’. With the joy of being with God for ever ahead of us we can endure, in fact we must set our minds to endure. It will make our characters stronger. Easier said than done! … but worth trying, as we are sure to encounter trials in our lives.

From the series Living a Fruitful Life

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