Trials and Tribulations: Learning how to count it all joy: (Wait, what?!) Episode 3, Pt. 1

In the fifth episode of It's the Salt for me! I talk about trials and tribulations and attempt to learn how to "count it all joy" as the Bible instructs us to do. Should be one for the books!

Transcript

“It’s the Salt for me”

Podcast Episode 5

Trials and Tribulations: Learning how to count it all joy during a trial: 

Praise God for what?! Pt. 1

Hey! Welcome to Episode 5, Pt. 1 of “It’s the Salt for me, brought to you by The Salty Christian.” I’m your host, Marie. I invite you to subscribe, share and comment. We have new episodes every Thursday!

This week I will discuss counting it all joy in times of trial. Let me just start with this: It’s not enough that we have to go through trials, but now we’re supposed to count it all joy?! Praise God for wha??? 

This is another area in my life that I struggle with. I think I struggle in every area if you really want to know. Anyway, I know I’ve said that during times of trial I choose to trust God completely, but to actually find joy during it? I know that is what God calls us to do, but I feel like that’s asking a lot. Instead of finding the joy, I often find myself wallowing in self pity, or asking “Why me?” Why do bad things keep happening to me? I remember asking mom that question and my mom asking me, “why not you?” I was perplexed. She is supposed to be on my team. Period. Like, God has the audacity to put me through this and you’re down with it? Ma? 

It got me thinking though. What made me think I was above being tested? I don’t deserve it but, neither does anyone else. My mom was right, why not me?

Years ago, during a time that I wasn’t in a particularly good place with God, I remember just going through a rough patch. It wasn’t just one thing. Things were just happening all the time. I couldn’t catch a break. I was throwing daily pity parties for myself. Questioning God as to why he kept allowing stuff to happen to me. He kept silent. 

It’s funny how when things are going well, it’s easy to be thankful to God. For me, it comes naturally. I thank God for everything. At the same time, If I’m being honest, I’ve noticed that when things are going good, I stop studying the Bible as often as I was. I stop praying as much as I was. Don’t go to church as much as I was. It’s almost like when things are going really good, I forget about God. Not forget, but my relationship with Him goes to the wayside. I backslide. But, when things take a turn, and stop going so well, I’m not so thankful anymore. I panic. I go back to God, but my new focus is why? Why is God allowing this? What did I do to deserve this? You know what I do after this? I start going back to church. I start studying the Bible again. I start praying. Begging for God to a) forgive me for abandoning Him and b) asking God for His help – again. All the while promising that if He helps me through whatever it is I’m going through that I will become the person He wants me to be. I will give my life over to Him – again. You know, I have promised Him this so many times, you would think He would just shut me down. But He doesn’t. He let’s me back in and stays with me through it all. Which is weird, cause I find it strange how God is 150% there with me through every trial I have ever been through. So much so that I wonder how He is helping anyone else. He makes me feel like I am the most important person in the world to Him and like He is only focused on me. Like I am the favorite child and the rest of you can just sit down until He is done helping me. And I know that I know that I know He makes everybody feel this way. How great thou art.  

Funny how, when you’re going through something – well, me anyway, I will promise God the world. It’s almost like I’ve used it as a bargaining chip. God, if you do this for me, I will do this for you. Ok, bribery. At the time that I’m trying to bargain with God, I truly mean what I am saying. I have every intention of giving my life back to Him because If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, that I know that when I am in a good place with God, those are the times that I experience true joy. I am at my happiest when I am in relationship with God. I think differently, speak differently, walk differently. It’s like I know that God has my back, and I don’t need to worry about anything. I know bargaining with God is wrong… but I also know that I’m not the only person in the world to do it. I might just be the only person to admit it. And let’s just be real. God knows what I’m doing. Bargaining, bribery, whatever it is. But I don’t think He cares because He, once again, has my full attention. I’m all about God when I’m desperate. 

So, during this time of trouble, after I turned back to God, I started studying the Bible every chance I got looking for a word. I remember going to the park on my lunch break and reading the Bible. I came across James 1:2-3 which reads:

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

My first thought was, Praise God for what?! Why? Why do you have to test our faith? Isn’t life hard enough already? Haven’t I been through my fair share of trials? How many more of these do I need? God, you know my heart. You know I’m a good person. How long?! 

After reading that, I needed to know more so I kept studying the Bible hoping that God doesn’t really want me to be joyful during trials. Then I came across Romans 5:3-4 which reads:

3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces [a]perseverance; 4 and perseverance, [b]character; and character, hope.

Seriously?! It was like God was telling me again cause I wasn’t listening. I wanted to listen, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. There is no joy in trials. 

I kept studying. Next, I came across 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which reads:

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I’m gonna say something that some of you may not like, but it’s true. Sometimes, God really gets on my nerves! My last nerves. Let me explain. I think I’ve mentioned before how when I am in a good place with God – a really good place, He starts having me do things I wouldn’t normally do. Say things I wouldn’t normally say. Not gonna lie, it’s irritating, and it get’s on my nerves because I know that once He has told me to do something, I have to do it. He will not let it go until I do what He tells me to do. It will gnaw at me for days until I’m finally like, Ok, God, I’ll do it, you can stop now. I get it. It’s a lot. Sometimes I don’t want to do what He tells me to do. Sometimes I don’t see the point. 

After I have done what God tells me to do, I am at peace. That’s when I realize that even though I might not see the point of doing what He has asked me to do that He can. God sees an entire picture. He knows that whatever He is telling me to do will work together for my good in the end. I tend to forget that. 

I was feeling some type of way after reading those versus. I knew what God was asking me to do but I really didn’t know if I could do it, and if I did, I wasn’t sure that it would be genuine. He would know I didn’t mean it. I didn’t want God to think I was a fraud. 

I mean, if I’m going through something bad, am really supposed to be joyful about it? I asked God, am I supposed to just let people get over on me? You know what God did? He pointed me to Matthew 5:44 which reads:

44 [a]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you

On. My. Last. Nerve! I closed my Bible and went back to work. 

After all that, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I know it was God. He wasn’t going to let it go. I prayed about it and decided that it didn’t make any sense to me. God had other plans. I actually lost sleep over it! It was all I could think about. On my way to work, at work, at home. He wouldn’t stop telling me that I had to do this. I knew I didn’t have a choice. I had to do it whether I wanted to or not. That’s how it always works with God for me. Now that I think about it, it kind of makes me laugh because I’m always trying to bargain with God and God just flat tells me what I’m gonna do, how I’m gonna do it and when I’m gonna do it. There is no bargaining. There isn’t really a discussion because whatever reason I come up with as to why I’m not going to do it, God comes back stronger and tells me I am. He doesn’t back down. I do know that when I have just completely refused to do something, everything gets worse, that is, until I ultimately do what He told me to do in the first place. I think I’m a lot like Jonah, but that’s a story for another day! Matter of fact, I will be doing a podcast on just that in the near future so be sure and tune in!

I needed God to stop nagging me (yes, nagging me), so I told Him I would do it. I think I might have yelled at Him that He could STOP now! I’ll do it while rolling my eyes as if He didn’t see me doing it or feel my attitude. 

You know what happened? He stopped. Now I had to actually do it. I made a plan to start the next day. As per usual, I had questions. 

My first question is:

1.      I know that I am supposed to count it as joy during trials, but do I have to “feel” joyful to? 

I can’t imagine going through a hard time and not feeling the heartache that goes along with it. I mean, I can get down with counting it as joy, but to feel joyful when I’m hurting just doesn’t make sense to me. It seems wrong. Maybe that’s why Psalm 34:18 says:

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as [a]have a contrite spirit.” 

              What I understand this to mean is that when we have a broken heart and contrite spirit – or a crushed spirit, that’s when we are willing to do anything and everything that God tells us to do. Maybe we are supposed to count it as joy and feel joyful? I don’t know, but as I’ve said, during times like these, I tend to do things that I wouldn’t ordinarily do. I’ve never really taken stock of my actual feelings during it though. I just do what I’m told, pray, and wait to hear my next move from God. I think my mind is too busy to worry about how I’m feeling. 

I plan to look into this more in the coming days to find a more definitive answer on this. I also plan to take note of my feelings when something comes up and it’s time for me to count it as joy. Should be interesting.

My 2nd question is:

2.      Will counting it all joy shorten the trial?

I found absolutely nothing that talks about shortening a trial. Come to think of it, I don’t think anything I’ve ever done for God has shortened the hurt I’ve been through during a trial. Matter of fact, I know I’ve begged God to bring it to an end. But looking back, I don’t see that he ever did. If He is the God that can produce miracles, why wouldn’t he stop my hurt? After all, I’m broken hearted and my spirit is crushed. Make. It. Stop. More research is needed on this.

My 3rd question is:

3.      Why would God even ask us to do this at a time when we are hurting? 

I feel like God is asking us to do the most. Like this is a test within a test. When I’m hurting, I find it hard to find joy in anything. I just want it to be over. I know God sees a bigger picture than I could ever possibly see, but that doesn’t make it easier because I know that. God asks me to do a lot of hard things. He has for years. Most of it I don’t understand, but like I said, during times of trouble, I just do what He wants me to do. No questions asked. Asking me to count it all joy? That’s just doing the most. I’ll have to figure this out as I walk through this new journey. 

My 4th question is:

4.      What happens if I count it joy but don’t really feel like I mean it? Does that still count?

When I am going through something (and I’m sure I will be), what happens if I count it all joy, but don’t really mean it? Am I lying to God? Just saying the words to appease Him? Is that still going to count because I am trying to do what He is asking of me? God knows every thought in my head before I even think it. Should I just tell Him I am trying to count this as joy but I’m not really believing that it is? I’m not really sure what He wants me to do. I mean, God is clearly against lying. Do I just abort this mission? Say nothing? Pretend like it’s all good? I guess I could do all that but He is still going to know what I’m doing. So, what’s the point? I have thoroughly confused myself and need to go into prayer now. More on this later. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode on joy in tribulation. I hope that you too will decide to count it all joy during times of trouble this week and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear from you!

I again invite you to subscribe, share and comment.

I’ll catch you on the next episode of “It’s the Salt for Me.” Until then, be blessed and be a blessing.