Joy at all times?

There are so many times where you hear people questioning God. It can happen a lot during a tragedy- why did this have to happen to someone? Andy and I could be saying that very thing today as there is no end in site to his lay-off right now. 1 Peter chapter 1 tells us how we should be thinking and acting though, and it's certainly not "woe is me."

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."

The fact is, God allows us to go through trials from time to time. If we don't face a trial, how can we put to practice what he has shown us in His Word? If we don't make it through to the end, how can we show his Glory to others who are going through the same thing. So instead of grieving or becoming desperate and full of sorrow or worry, we can put our trust in God and be full of joy instead. Because the trials we are going through today bring us closer to God. And once it's all said and done we can look back and think of how wonderful our God is to get us through a difficult time. And we can share that accomplishment with others who are struggling.

And look here are verse 9:

"The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls."

The joy we experience during trouble is part of the Salvation Experience. If we know Jesus, we can know the joy of His companionship during times of trouble. We can know in our hearts that he is there beside us every step of the way. Every day that I sit down to pay the bills, he is sitting right there with me, opening my eyes to where the money needs to go. Jesus is a wonderful companion. And even though our trials are only a fraction of the trials that he suffered because of me, they still serve to bring us closer together.

Joy in times of trouble is a wonderful thing. I wouldn't give it up for anything.