Faith-Full Sunday – James 1:2-3

“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.” James 1:2-3

I happened upon this verse about eight years ago, and it has brought me through life ever since.

I just had a total knee replacement on my right leg, and the incision became infected. What followed was three weeks of going twice a day to a hospital that was a half hour away to get IV antibiotics because the oral ones didn’t work. I also had to take a pill which helped extend the antibiotic as I should have it three times a day. Every single time I had a treatment after the first week, I would throw up violently. They weren’t sure at the time why, but I just recently found out that fibromyalgia does not play well with the “floxins” which this one was.

The infection was getting better, but the pain was becoming progressively worse. My Orthopedic surgeon had been away. However, he was back at the start of week four, and he saw me at the hospital after my morning IV session. He said the tests showed there wasn’t any internal infection, but he was concerned about the pain. He also figured that the vomiting was caused by the pill I had to take so he admitted me for two reasons. a) he could do an exploratory surgery to flush out anything that was causing the pain and b) I could go on the antibiotic three times a day and not take the pill.

I had a book with me. However, a volunteer from one of the churches brought me a Bible to read as I said I was missing mine. My husband would bring it but probably not until the next day. She said I could borrow this one and just leave it on the nightstand when I left.

The book of James has always been on of my favorites. When I opened up that bible, it automatically turned to James chapter one.  I had read that first passage many times and had never actually seen the truth of verses 2 – 3 until that moment. Suddenly, everything that gone on in my life to that point made more sense.

People have said that I am a strong woman for what I have endured. I never saw it. I viewed myself as weak, or I could have prevented all of it from happening. This passage made the journey much easier because even if I saw myself as weak, I knew my faith was strong.

So, every time some new trial comes along I just recite these verses in my head and choose to feel joy. I know that God has a purpose for letting me go through this, and He will use it for His glory. That fills my heart with joy!

Oh, and the knee surgery? It turned out that my body builds up scar tissue, and it had done so in my knee. The scarring pushed up on a plastic plate inserted in the new knee, so he had to replace it with a thinner one. I went through the trial of the pain and antibiotic so that my doctor would find out about the plate problem. Thank you, Lord!

Blessings,
Lydia!