“Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance.”
James 1:2-3 CJB
In Greek, the word translated here as “regard” is hēgeomai. Strong’s concordance defines it in the following way: to lead, i.e. command (with official authority); figuratively, to deem, i.e. consider:—account, (be) chief, count, esteem, governor, judge, have the rule over, suppose, think.
This seems to suggest that I take a stronger, more intentional role in directing the way that I feel, at least in a longer term way (I don’t know that through sheer will we can ever get to the point where we could be assured to never feel a certain way but allowing that feeling staying power is certainly under our powers of choice). We are to lead our emotions, the ways that we think, not the converse. And the way we are to lead them is down the pathway of trust or faith in God. As we allow our minds to be transformed by our Father, all becomes Joy! We are looking through an eternal lens now; we are seeing things as they truly are not just as they appear to be. Not only do we get to walk in Joy but character is being crafted and worked out in our souls. Perseverance, a steadfastness, is formed leading to wholeness as our faith is proved true with the ending eventuality of it becoming sight.
“But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.” James 1:4 CJB
“The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.” Psalm 23:1 NLT
“For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face. Now I know partly; then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 CJB