Command Yourself to Operate at Godspeed

James 1:2-3 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Please don't take this verse the wrong way and try to be happy when you know you are not.

I would translate "consider it pure joy" as "Lead yourself where God exerts divine influence upon your heart." James knows that there are things all around us - experiments for good and experiences of evil- that we cannot avoid. These motley tests can pierce us through and work at cross purposes against us.

It is in the face of these trials that we remember Proverbs 3: 5 and its call to "trust in the Lord." Be like the white-tailed deer and 'hightail it' to God. When you are surrounded, leading yourself to where God exerts divine influence upon your heart (even if that means running straight into trouble or difficulty) God will make a way for you.

James 1:13 says God's purpose cannot be adversely affected the same way ours is and you can certainly know, God never works at cross purposes against himself. This is one of the early confessions of the church: "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown (contradict or deny) himself." (II Tim. 2: 13)

The Lord abides faithful. Jesus stays in this given state and relationship with himself. James tells us we have to lead ourselves back to this point. We have to make corrections and adjustments. Grace not only allows for it; grace insists upon it.

There are two things for which we can always labor. {You never go into labor for the sake of labor. You go into labor to give birth or produce something.}
1. Lead yourself to where God exerts divine influence upon your life until that's where you always are.
2. Lead yourself into agreeing with God until you always do.

The labor of life, surrounded by a motley myriad of choices and responses, is to produce joy - so that living now and living in the kingdom is a seamless transition - enter into the joy of the Lord!