Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know after the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2, 3

Verse Reflections:  We do face trials every day.  Imagine if we thanked God for them.  Imagine if we actually faced our trials with pure joy.  Imagine if we looked forward to growing from our trials.  Imagine if we wanted to learn perseverance.  Imagine a world in which perseverance was more important to us than a perfect life.   So today, we are going to persevere in our healthy eating habits.  No matter what happens in our lives today, no matter what happens at work, at school, at home, we are going to eat healthy.  We will not let our faith be tested by life.  We will persevere.  We will not let our trials make us eat Carbugars (Processed Carbohydrates or Sugar).  We will not react to stress today by eating food.  We will eat healthy foods no matter what happens.  We will persevere with joy.

Prayer:  Thank You Lord for the trials I face.  Today I will face every trial with joy.  Give me joy in my heart no matter what happens.  Lord, with Your help I will persevere.  You and I can face the trials together.  So many times I try to run from trials.  This verse promises me that we will face trials, I shouldn’t run from them.  But I have to say that I cannot face them with joy without Your help.  My tendency is to get depressed and come home and eat a pan or bag of carbugars.  Then I feel joy for about 30 minutes to an hour.  I need You to replace my pan or bag of carbugars with an internal joy.  Allow me to know that the qualities You are developing in me are more important than the temporary release of stress.  I need the joy that comes from heaven.  I need to know that trials are good for me.  I will persevere with Your help.  This is truly what I need to hear.  I have failed so many times that it is nice to know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance.  God, give me perseverance.