February 28

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, — Jas 1:2 BSB

We don’t always feel joyful, but we are told to “count it all joy.” The word reckon is key here—it’s the same word used about being dead to sin. We don’t feel dead, but we treat ourselves as dead and refuse to obey the old nature. In the same way, we must reckon the trials we face as blessings, choosing to rejoice and say, “My heart is fixed, O God, I will sing and give praise.”

Rejoicing by faith will soon become a habit, and it will bring the spontaneous overflow of gladness. Then, even when the fig tree doesn’t blossom, the fields yield no fruit, and the herd is cut off from the stall, we will still rejoice in the Lord and take joy in the God of our salvation.

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round,
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found;
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown,
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.