Today I was feeling a little under the weather, as they say, because of some personal issues that I am dealing with in my life. As I was allowing myself my five minutes of self-pity, I began to get scripture in my mind. The first one happened to stand out the most in my head. Count it all joy . . . And I sat there and thought that is a really silly sentiment. I mean the thought that I am to count all my suffering, trials and tribulations for joy really is a silly thought, until you really think about the meaning and go beyond the literal understanding.

I mean if you were to take it literally, you would be rejoicing every time something bad happened in your life. How nuts would you be? When I first came across the literal understanding, I began to wonder what they had to for fun back when the verse was written that he was suggesting rejoicing in bad things that occurred in your life. Then I flipped on my super duper spiritual glasses that let me see things spiritually and I came across a whole new understanding.

I came to realize that any situation that faces me, more than likely has a spiritual base. In other words if it is bad then it is more than likely and attack from the enemy. Some means of getting to my faith and challenging what I truly believe and how I will react. Either righteously or in the flesh. Then I took it a step further. If the enemy is attacking me then I must not be his will, but rather in the will of God. If he is attacking me then I must not be moving in my flesh but rather doing the will of God and serving His purpose. It is then that I realized what he was trying to say when he said count it all for joy. In that sense I would rejoice. Not in the fact that I had to endure a rough part of my life, but that I was in Gods will and even then enemy saw that I was serving God righteously. If ever I did not have to undergo attacks from the enemy then I would be worried.

I also began thinking about this in another way. I should rejoice when I have to undergo so rough times. Again not because I have to go through the situation, but because I know I will go through the situation. I know Who my God is. I know what he is capable of doing. I know He knows me better than myself. I also know that he wont allow me to undertake a burden that is too much for me to bear. So then if he allows the enemy to try me with rough times then I know I will make it through because God has that faith in me that I will. If that is not a great endorsement of character then I don't know what is.

I do know however that I won't be giving myself five minutes of self-pity anymore when I have some rough times in my life. Instead I think I will just start rejoicing and count it all for joy.