Nothing But the Blood

James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds.” I know we have all heard this a thousand times and we all understand that we are SUPPOSED to consider bad things happening to us as a good thing right? When our grandfather dies we’re supposed to find joy in that? When a close friend who we know isn’t a Christian dies, there’s joy in that? When we fail a class or a test, there’s joy in that? When we lose the playoff game, where is there joy? Seriously guys, think about it; how is there joy in any of those?

You might think that Jesus has promised us comfortable lives as Christians. And lets be honest, we often feel like we deserve comfortable lives because, after all, we’re the good people right? We’re the ones who have decided to follow Christ and be “good”? Well guess what. You deserve death. You deserve hell. You deserve pain. But God’s grace saved you from that. You deserve nothing “good” at all. Nothing. At all. 

Okay, so now that we can all accept that, lets move on. Did you know that the word “comfortable” is not mentioned in the Bible once? Not once. God has not promised us “comfortable” lives. He has promised us purposeful lives when we choose to live for Him. God’s idea of “good” things is far different than the worldly view of what is “good”. We see cars, houses, money, boats, and items as good things. If we don’t have any of that then we have nothing right? Wrong. God’s good things are peace of mind, righteousness, love, and joy. In order to understand how blessed we really are and how “fair” our lives should be, we must reevaluate our idea of “good”.

“God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.” – CS Lewis

God knows everything. Every deep, dark secret. Every hair on your head. Every trial that you will ever face. Is it not a comforting thought to know that He has “armed us” to go through it? He has prepared us to face everything that we will face. And, we will not face it alone. He never promises that we will not have pain, whether physical, emotional, or spiritually. Following Christ is painful, heartbreaking, and hard. It is also inspiring, loving, and the best decision you’ll ever make. We will get through it, not without pain, but without stain. What can wash away my sin and make me white as snow? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.