“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4 ESV
“Count it all joy.” What does that actually mean? How does that look in everyday life? “Count it ALL joy?” All, like everything? Isn’t that a little excessive? What about the things that definitely don’t FEEL joyful in the moment?
For pretty much my entire life, I’ve been known as a happy/cheerful/joyful/optimistic person. When I was a toddler, my grandma gave me the nickname “Sunshine.” Whenever I got birthday cards, compliments, life-giving words, the majority of the time, they included something about my happiness. It was such a thing I was known for that I actually started to resent when people had to say something that they appreciated about me because 9 out of 10 times it would be about my “joyful attitude” or some other similar thing. It ended up feeling like they just said the easiest, most noticeable thing about me rather than get to know me.
And then came the tumultuous years where inside I was screaming, hoping someone would notice my misery, and offer me a way out besides suicide. On the outside, my happy persona continued. Someone even told me, “You should be more serious sometimes. You’re too happy.” Their words pierced my heart as I knew all too well the seriousness that was on the inside. They couldn’t see, maybe wouldn’t see. I don’t know.
Then I learned about counting it all joy. And now my joy is a choice. I choose joy on a daily basis. Why? Because this scripture says that counting it all joy is the first step to perfection, and I want to be perfect!
Choosing joy is easy when the children are perfect angels and my house is clean, and I got a full six hours of uninterrupted sleep. It’s almost not even really a choice then.
It becomes a choice when I see every single hour during the night and plans have changed again, and Aaron’s not getting home til way late or is gone an extra day for work and everything is not so pretty and flowing as I wish it was. Then I have to pause, take a breath, and choose to count it joy.
The baby is awake again for the eighth time tonight? Count it joy. I am not a victim of motherhood. I chose motherhood, and waking in the night to take care of littles is part of it.
Work schedule changed again with little to no notice? Count it joy. Aaron has a good steady job where he makes a difference every single day.
This principle can even apply in looking back on things that happened in your past.
I was sexually assaulted. Counting it all joy does not mean that I now somehow believe that it was a good thing. It does mean that I no longer am a victim to it. Counting it joy brings healing and empowers me to move forward. It gets me unstuck in my progress towards perfection.
If you find yourself stuck in a rut, feeling like a victim in whatever may have happened or may be happening in your life, try joy! See what happens.