Gratitude: Consider it All Joy 

While a student at Oxford, John Wesley lived on campus. One cold winter evening a porter, whose job it was to carry people’s luggage, knocked on Wesley’s door and asked to speak with him. During their conversation, Wesley noticed the man’s thin coat. Out of concern for him, Wesley suggested that the man get a warmer coat.

The man replied, “This is the only coat I have. I thank God for it.”

Wesley asked the man if he had eaten. The man answered, “I have had nothing today but water to drink, but I thank God for what I have had today.”

Wesley, growing uneasy in the man’s presence, asked him if he had a warm place to sleep that night. The man replied, “I thank God that I have dry stones to lie upon.”

Wesley was moved by the man’s sincerity, and he said to him, “You thank God when you have nothing to wear, nothing to eat, and no bed to lie on. What else do you thank God for?”

The man replied, “I thank God that he has given me life, a heart to love him, and a desire to serve him.”

After the man left with a coat from Wesley’s closet, some money for food, and words of appreciation for the witness he had made, Wesley wrote in his journal, “I shall never forget that porter. He convinced me there is something in religion to which I am a stranger.”

The porter in the story is an example of James’ words, “Consider it all joy.” At every turn, the man thanked God for what he had instead of focusing on what he did not have. The man was grateful for what had been provided.

Let’s read the scripture and see what James is telling us about gratitude.

Read: James 1:2-4

² My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.

Reflect

The Letter of James is a “how-to” manual for “practical Christianity.” Its purpose is not to proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but to provide wisdom and guidance for those who want to follow Jesus. There is some evidence that the teachings in James are rooted in the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount. So, throughout the letter, you find the words of James sounding a lot like the words of Jesus.

James writes, “Consider it all joy!” It is not easy being a follower of Jesus. You will have all kinds of experiences that will try to take your faith away. There will be seductions that seek to take you off the path of faith. There will be dangers, sacrifices, and unpopularity that you will face when faithfully responding to God’s love. James says the point of the testing is not to make you fail, but to make you stronger. When you are facing such tests, consider it a joy. You are being perfected. You are being shaped into who God created you to be.

Respond

Gratitude grows out of such joy. As you grow through the trials and testing, you begin to realize that the goodness of God is shaping you and empowering you to be God’s witness of love. Below are two real-life examples of gratitude.

Over 200 years ago, there was a boy who lived in England. From birth, he was anemic and weak. Because medications, like those we have today, did not exist, he remained in his sickly condition throughout his childhood. He was never very strong physically.

He would look out his window and watch children playing in the field. He wanted to be out there with them. Because of his condition, he felt sad and alone.

When he got older, he felt he was called into ministry. He wanted to be a pastor of a congregation. But, again, his health failed. He was too frail to carry on his pastoral duties. He became depressed.

There were times he would cry out to God, “Why can’t I be like other people? They have their health. Why can’t I be healthy? They can do things with their lives, but I can’t. They are out there making a difference and I’m just sitting here unable to do anything at all. Why can’t I be like them?”

One day, while in conversation with a friend, he began to understand that he had a purpose in his life like no other person had in their lives. He began to realize that he would always be depressed as long as compared himself to others. He had his own life to live. He decided to stop comparing himself with others and to live his life to the best of his ability.

And so, he did. His name was Issac Watts. He became a great hymn writer, writing hymns like “Joy to the World” and “O God Our Help in Ages Past.” It all came together when he began to give God thanks for his life and to consider it all joy.

Consider it all Joy

The apostle Paul says the same thing but in a different way. He writes to the church in Thessalonica, “…give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). From Paul’s perspective, below is another example of “consider it all joy.”

In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom tells the story of entering a Nazi concentration camp with her sister, Betsie. They entered a massive room filled with rows of wooden bunks stacked nearly to the ceiling. There was no room to walk in between the beds. Even though it was winter, the glass in the windows had been broken and gaping holes allowed the cold into the room.

As they climbed to the top bunks, the sisters found themselves in straw-covered beds that reeked of urine and mold. Corrie tells of staring silently at the ceiling and wondering how she would survive in such a place.

Corrie and Betsie were Dutch Christians. They were arrested for suspicion of harboring Jewish “fugitives”. The allegation was true, but none of the authorities found any of the six people who were hidden in a secret, strategically constructed, upstairs closet.

As she pondered her fate, she felt something bite her. She popped out of bed, hitting her head on the ceiling. Both she and Betsie were covered with fleas.

Corrie cried out, “How can we live in such a place?” Everything had been taken from them. They were now living in one of the most horrific, evil places in history. How were they going to make it?

Betsie had the answer. Remembering the words of Paul to the Thessalonians, “give thanks in all circumstances,” she said they would give thanks for everything in their lives.

Corrie asked, “What in the world was there to be thankful for?”

Betsie replied, “That we were able to stay together here in this concentration camp.”

Corrie responded, “Oh yes, thank you, Jesus.”

Betsie continued, “That we were able to smuggle in our Bible. And since we are packed so tightly in this room, many women will be able to hear us read it.”

Betsie looked at Corrie. Then Corrie said, “All right, thank you for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed, suffocating, crowds.”

And then Betsie said, “And thank you God for the fleas…”

Corrie, in disbelief, cried out, “The fleas! Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me thankful for the fleas.”

“Give thanks in all circumstances,” Betsie quoted. “It doesn’t say just in pleasant circumstances. Fleas are a part of the place God has put us.”

Corrie was sure Betsie had officially lost her mind. But for weeks and months, they worked and survived in a place that could be called hell on earth. Amazing things began to happen. At night while soup was being served, Corrie and Betsie would read from their Bible. The woman in the massive dormitory room gathered close to listen. Betsie and then Corrie would read the Dutch text and then translate it into German. They then listened as women repeated the words back through the crowd in French, Russian, Polish, and Czech. There was hope and light being spoken in a place all too absent of both.

With guards everywhere, Corrie and Betsie feared being discovered. Yet, night after night they continued. The gatherings became so big that they held two reading sessions a night in the dormitory. Women were being filled with the courage and strength to face what awaited them the next day.

Every night they would read to the women. It was like God put a protective force around them. Then one day while trying to settle a dispute in their dormitory room, Betsie figured out what had allowed them to carry out their illegal act of giving hope.

The protective force? The infestation of fleas. No guard wanted to take a step in their room for getting the fleas themselves. As Betsie shared her news with Corrie, she couldn’t help but smile. There was a reason to be thankful, even for the fleas.

“Give thanks in all circumstances.” Consider it all joy!

Be Thankful in All Circumstances

Being thankful for the blessings of life is easy. Being thankful for the hurts and setbacks is not. Yet, it is giving thanks in all circumstances that becomes the most transformative. Because you don’t see the full picture doesn’t mean you can’t “consider it all joy.”

Now you might not know how the obstacles, turns, failures, confusion, setbacks, and struggles are being woven together to create your future. But, as you give thanks, reflect upon these words “Every experience God gives us…is the perfect preparation for the future only He can see.” – Corrie ten Boom

With gratitude, consider it all joy!

Return

Give God thanks for the people you encountered today. What did you find difficult to experience? How did you give God thanks for the experience? What did you face that did not seem to be something for which to be grateful? Did you consider it joy? Why? Why not? Who did you need to remind you to be thankful? Remember, whatever you are facing, give thanks for the circumstances and consider it all joy. Now give God for the ways you are growing in gratitude.