Always Count It All Joy?

Thank you for the feedback. I received a question regarding Count It All Joy that I’ll paraphrase here:

Should you always “Count It All Joy” in every trial? Even when it’s a trial like a stillborn child or a tragic accident that takes your loved one? You can see the future joy of faithfully raising your children when you’re changing their diapers, but organizing a funeral for your child feels different.

I appreciate this question very much. It challenges these principles to see if they break when they’re pushed too far. And that is something that freemen do.

The short answer is, yes.

The long answer is that joy isn’t always happy. Sometimes joy is sad. Sometimes joy is solemn. Sometimes joy is contemplative. But joy always has hope.

I brought up before that Jesus counted it all joy when He “endured the cross”(Hebrews 12:2 NKJV).

Jesus’ death on the cross was the greatest trial of all time. He was the sinless Son of God who didn’t deserve God’s wrath in any way at all. But He took it on in order to kill that dragon Satan and save His Bride that Church.

Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was the greatest triumph of all time. He now sits at God’s right hand as King of all kings and He will reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet.

Jesus counted it all joy through a trial that was worse than a stillborn child or the tragic death of a loved one.

And what did that look like?

“…He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:41-44 NKJV).

Jesus was in emotional agony during His trial. So much so that His agony even caused Him physical trauma and He sweat great drops of blood. He endured this and His other sufferings “for the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV).

Why does a painful trial close to home feel different than Jesus’ trial? Maybe one of the reasons is because we can see the glory of Jesus’ trial, but we can’t always see the glory of our trials.

We know why Jesus suffered and died, but we don’t always know why a baby had to suffer and die.

If you don’t know why, that’s okay. Ask God to show you.

And as He shows you, thank Him for the opportunity to count it all joy in the midst of that trial.

What do you think?
Joseph