Hey friend!
 
WOW WOW. This episode is THE MEAT of emotional eating and how I let it get the best of me this past week. Not just slipping into old habits, but actually having to fight minute by minute against temptations. GOOD NEWS: We don't have to white knuckle our journey and I'm sharing what I should have done differently and sought out JOY inside the trial to not allow those temptations in.
 
HOMEWORK—READ THIS BEFORE STARTING THE EPISODE:
How to Count Trials as Joy
 
Think about the last couple of years. What have you faced? What have you overcome? What are you currently walking through? 
 
When we find ourselves in the midst of unfortunate situations, it’s easy to become so fixated on our problems that we begin to lose perspective. But James encourages Christians to embrace a radical alternative. He tells Jesus’ followers to consider trials of any kind as an opportunity for great joy.  
 
The Greek word for “trials” actually stems from the same root word as “temptation”—but it leads us in an opposite direction.  We tend to let trials dictate our emotional responses and then let our emotions influence our actions. But when this happens, our natural desire to escape the trial can tempt us and potentially lead us down harmful paths disguised as shortcuts. 
 
But while temptations always result in separation from God, trials can actually draw us closer to Him. Trials test the extent of our obedience by revealing what our faith is founded in. 
 
If we say we love God but we allow our circumstances to dictate our responses, then we might have more faith in our circumstances than in our God. 
 
God will never tempt us, but if He allows us to experience a trial, then He will give us the strength to endure it. And as we endure, our character is refined—and the refining of our character is a good and perfect gift. 
 
This is perhaps why James later says that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above; coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  (v. 17, ESV)
 
While God does not create pain, He will use it for His glory and our good. And if the pain results in something good for us—like the purification of our character and a deeper intimacy with God—then we can actually rejoice in the midst of suffering.
 
When we view trials from that perspective, our suffering becomes a way for us to worship God. And as we worship Him, our hearts become realigned with His heart. 
 
So today, ask God to give you the strength to endure the trials you are currently walking through. Allow Him to fill you with joy by showing you how the trials are making you more like Jesus.
 
 
My hope for you is that you come out of this episode knowing where trials versus temptations come from and how one pulls us away from our faith where the other deepens and strengthens.
 
If this episode blessed you in some way, take a screenshot of today's episode, share it on your social media stories, tag me, @hannahdickeybryson and you could win some Dunkin' coffee on me!
With love,
Hannah
 
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LINKS I TALKED ABOUT IN THE EPISODE:
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