July 5, 2010
Study Guide: Choose Joy
Posted by Michael
Learn:
James 1:2-6
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Main Idea:
We are commanded to choose joy in the midst of trials. At first this idea seems absurd. How can we celebrate a job loss, illness, a broken relationship, or other tragedies? James isn’t asking us to be delusional and pretend these are good things. He is saying that we have the choice to respond to our trials in many different ways. Anger, envy, and withdrawal are all possible responses to hard times but are often unhelpful ones. A better choice is joy. In order to choose joy, we need to unchoose whatever our natural response to trials has been. It takes practice, but the more you do it the more automatic it will become. God can use the worst circumstances in the world to bring out the best in you. God is at work in and through your sufferings in ways you cannot see and may not understand. When you choose joy, you set an example for your friends and family to trust Jesus in the midst of darkness. How do you choose joy? Ask God for wisdom.
Know What: You will face trials of all kinds throughout your life.
So What: Although we cannot choose whether we will face trials, we can choose how we will respond to them. Most of our natural responses to trials (anger, envy, etc.) are not helpful.
Now What: Unchoose your natural response to hard times and choose joy instead.
Discuss…
1. When James says to consider it joy to face trials, do you tend to think that the trials you are facing are more severe than the trials faced by the people James was writing to? Do you think your trials are so unique that you are the only person experiencing your pain? What is the danger in thinking like this?
2. Are you temped to isolate yourself during times of crisis? Why? What can you do to stay connected with others during these times?
3. When trials come into your life, what is your natural response to them? Anger? Envy? Freaking out? Withdrawal? If you’re not sure, is there a close friend or family member you can ask?
4. The way we respond to trials is our choice. What can you do to unchoose the responses that are not healthy and begin to choose joy instead?
5. Are you able to look back on circumstances that were unpleasant in your life and see what that suffering or trial produced in your life? Do you trust that God is using the current trial you are facing to produce something good in you, even though you can’t yet see it?
Pray
This week, think about what your natural response to trials is. Do you get angry? Do you envy those not in your situation? Do you withdraw from others? Ask God to help you unchoose responses that are not helpful and for the strength to choose joy instead. Pray for wisdom to know what your next right step is.
