Joy in Adversity

by Maria Houpt

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 (NIV) 

Trials … they come in all shapes and sizes, and usually when you least expect them. 

One of my biggest trials came in the body of a three-year-old boy when he started having seizures. The seizures led to many tests, and he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. For six agonizing weeks the radiologist said it was cancerous and he would be dead in a year. The first neurosurgeon said he didn’t see anything on the scans. The second neurosurgeon said there was definitely a tumor there, but it was probably benign. At the age of five that same boy had that brain tumor removed during a twelve-hour surgery that removed seventy-five percent of his right temporal lobe. At the age of six, that same child was (finally!) diagnosed with severe ADHD. At age 10, that same beautiful bundle of energy attempted suicide. Oh Lord, isn’t that enough?   

Oh wait, there’s more! That same champion was (finally!) diagnosed with Autism at the age of twelve. At the age of fifteen he experienced one single seizure, and the tests and uncertainties began again. Trials, yet there was peace and joy.  

Joy?!? You’re probably thinking, “Is she nuts? Joy with all of those trials in just one child?”  

Yes, joy. Not happiness, but joy. And peace. 

How is it possible to find joy during times of trials, sadness, heartache? That can only be Jesus. I don’t know any other way to get through life and still be filled with joy and peace.  

Joy is an attitude of our heart that is dependent upon our confidence in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Real, genuine joy is a result of having a strong and intimate relationship with Christ. To truly know Christ is to truly have joy. 

Joy is a choice. Happiness doesn't bring joy, and joy isn't the result of happiness. It is possible to experience joy in difficult times, even when you are unhappy. It is possible to know joy in spite of grief or uncertainty. Happiness is a pleasurable feeling, it’s gaiety. Cheerfulness. Happiness is a feeling that comes and goes, based on our circumstances. When life is good, we feel happy. But when life bring trials, we don’t feel happy anymore. But joy is different. Joy is deeper and much more powerful. It is bigger than our circumstances. It is a feeling that seeps through us regardless of our circumstances. Joy is rooted in our faith and trust in God, not in our circumstances. 

Finding joy in trials is a message that Paul shared with the Philippian church during his imprisonment in Rome (Philippians 1:12-26). While “in chains for Christ” he tells the Philippians, “And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” How could he say this with a possible death sentence looming over him? And how can we ourselves find joy in trying times we might face? 

Paul trusted that God was at work in any and all situations, and we need to trust in that as well. God will work through the greatest pleasures and the deepest pain of this life. When we recognize that God is sovereign, we can rest in the knowledge that He will see us through, no matter what. We need to trust that no matter the outcome, ‘He’s got this.’ 

So how do we do this? I’ll be honest, sometimes it isn’t that easy, but in order for us to trust Him during the greatest trials of our lives, we need to: 

Change our focus and how we think. We need to move beyond our unhappiness and sadness, and even despair, to see what God is doing. We may have to realign our purpose with God’s bigger purpose. My purpose in our trials with my son was that he would be healthy, that the seizures would stop, that he would survive. But what was God’s bigger purpose? Honestly, I still don’t know specifically what He had planned here on earth, but I do know that God used and may continue to use all of those trials for His glory. So, my purpose became God’s glory, that no matter what happened to my boy, Christ would be proclaimed, and God would somehow be glorified.  

Pray, read Scripture, pray, and read some more. The more time we spend communing with God, our Father, the more intimate our relationship with Him becomes, and the more we are able to trust in Him explicitly, and only want what He deems best. During those trials I sought Scripture, I listened to worship music, and I prayed, prayed, and prayed some more. 

Remember that God doesn’t change even when our circumstances do. Joy is not based on our situation but our orientation. We can choose to look up and focus our attention on the One who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Even with all of the suffering Paul endured, he chose joy. “And I will continue to rejoice” (Philippians 1:18 NIV). And that was what I did, too! 

When I was pregnant with each of our boys, my husband and I searched Scripture and prayed for just the right verse to give them at birth. Our Joshua’s was Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Now that is a promise from God that I know to be true!  

Joshua’s surgery went incredibly well, and he has had only one seizure in the 16 years since the brain tumor was removed (which was benign). He has overcome a tremendous number of hurdles. He is now twenty-one years old and is working on his bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing, with a GPA above 3.5. Raising him hasn’t always been easy, but because of God we were able to remain joyful through it all. We weren’t always happy. In fact, we were miserable at times, but God was faithful. We were joyful. We always trusted that no matter what happened to Joshua, God would use it for His glory even though we may never know what that purpose was. Were we afraid he would die of a seizure, or on the operating room table? Absolutely! But God calmed those fears. I mean, really, what were we afraid of? We were afraid that we would lose Joshua. But where would he be? He would be sitting at Jesus’s feet for eternity. What about that is there to be afraid of and sad about?  

Finding joy in adversity isn’t always easy, but it is definitely attainable. And it is always worth the effort. Read Scripture, pray, commune with God, and always keep God’s big picture in mind, even if you don’t know what that big picture is. This is the way to build a joyful life.