You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.—1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NIV)

Recently a friend shared with me that she  resists being real with others. Whenever she feels discouraged, frustrated, or hurt, she shrugs it off with, “But I’ll be okay.”

Her words transported me back to my early days as a Christian. Whenever someone would ask me how I was doing, I would smile and say, “Today is a character-building day”. In other words, my life was challenging, but I wanted to follow James’ instruction and find joy in my trials (James 1:2-4).

I admire my conviction from those early days. But I never questioned how James could throw out such a big ask. Or how Paul could command believers to rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Sometimes it not only seemed impossible, but it also felt disingenuous to pin on a smile as I glossed over deep hurts or disappointments.

Reading through the Apostle Paul’s letters has given me new insight into all of this. The problem isn’t with the instruction from James or Paul. It lies with me, and whose power I choose to lean on so I can rejoice always. 

I’ve noticed that when the first-century believers experienced the gift of the Holy Spirit, it created an inexplicable joy. For example, let’s look at one of Paul’s earliest written reference to the Holy Spirit:

You [the Thessalonian believers] became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message [gospel] in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV emphasis added)

Shortly after Paul and Silas established the church in Thessalonica, a severe persecution broke out against the believers. Attacks against the Thessalonian Christians became so violent that Paul and Silas were forced to leave for Berea (Acts 17:1-10).

Despite their “severe suffering”, these young Christians welcomed the gospel with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. Joy—especially in the face of such adversity—was not the result of their own power. It was the byproduct of the gift of the Holy Spirit. In fact Paul lists joy as the second fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

I don’t believe James or Paul intended for us to ignore or downplay the pain caused by the trials in our lives. Nor did they mean to burden us with impossible commands. They knew suffering would continue to plague us in this world. But they also understood that through the Holy Spirit we can experience joy, even in the midst of trials. 

The Holy Spirit’s role is to keep us in God’s presence where we receive a foretaste of Heaven—eternal life with the God who loves us. In the process, the Spirit infuses us with His joy. This joy is not rooted in our own power, nor is it based on the anticipated perfection of our character. Instead it flows naturally from sitting in the presence of the God we love—and knowing we will do so for all of eternity. 

Dear Lord Jesus, rejoicing always and finding joy in our trials do not come naturally to us. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit and His reminder to sit in Your presence where we experience a taste of Heaven. As we remember Your promise to live with us for eternity, we pray to be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. We pray this in Your name. Amen.