The Testing of Faith

We will be looking at James 1:2-4 and spending the majority of the time on verses 2-3. This is one sentence that can be broken down into three phrases:
(1)Count it all joy, my brothers (2) when you meet various trials (3) for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

To count it all joy is to have peaceful confidence by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that even though we cannot see how all of the dots connect to complete this sanctifying work, we know that God does see the whole picture and is actively working all things for the good of his people and for his own glory. Joy is the ability to look beyond the present circumstance to the future realization of salvation. It is to view each individual dot (trial) in light of the gospel.