Count It All Joy
June 2, 2026
While I've been recuperating from surgery, my mind has been percolating on a few things. I believe the Lord has shown me a truth that I'd like to share with you.
In the last two months, my family has been through, and is still going through, several undesirable, bad, heart-wrenching, faith-challenging circumstances or trials. I'm going to keep it simple and go with "bad."
At the same time, there have been several good, wonderful, faith-inspiring, heart-warming blessings. Again, to keep it simple, I'm using "good."
I began to ponder why we consider some circumstances as good and others bad when we are admonished in Romans 8:28:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
If God is working all things and not some things, then shouldn't all things be considered good? For a Christian, is there really any bad thing? Don't be too quick to answer.
I know we consider many circumstances bad in the sense of how the world and our flesh view them. But are we to be viewing things through worldly/fleshly lenses or with our spiritual lenses?
James tells us in James 1:2-4:
"Consider it pure joy, my beloved, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
We must remember what is of primary importance to our Heavenly Father - the heart, which represents the innermost being, the soul and spirit of a person.
In studying the ministry of Christ on earth, I am more convinced than ever that when the Healer said “your faith has made you whole,” our Lord was speaking of the inward being of the person. Healing of whatever ailed the one coming to the Healer was secondary to the new life that awakened within each one. At that moment, healed or not, each one would have rejoiced and given thanks because the old was dead and the new had burst forth.
In thinking this through, the Lord led me to Daniel 3. You know the story…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wouldn’t bow to the idol, Nabu, which King Nebuchadnezzar had made from gold. So they were thrown into a blazing furnace so hot that the heat killed the ones throwing them in. Nebuchadnezzar looks in and sees four men, not three.
Of course, this is a very shortened version of the story. If you are not familiar, you can read the whole of it in Daniel 3. For now, I’d like to dig into a few things so perhaps, together, we can silence the percolating. (Trust me, it will connect with the bad/good circumstance quandary mentioned earlier.)
I’d like to insert here a few verses for us to bookmark.
Job 23:10 “But he knows the way I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Malachi 3:2b-3 “For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them as gold and silver.”
Proverbs 25:4 “Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes the material for the silversmith”
Now back to our three Hebrews ….
We need to go back a little further in the book of Daniel to gain some understanding concerning these three. Babylon had captured Israel because the Israelites had turned away from God. Many were taken captive and led away to be slaves in Babylon. The strongest, brightest, prettiest, etc. were chosen for special duties. Among these were four Hebrew young men: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The latter three became Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (their Babylonian names)
These young men were stripped, at least outwardly, of everything that made them Hebrews. They were given new names, told what to eat (though this is another story), given Babylonian robes, training and teaching, and now told to bow down to a Babylonian idol.
They tell the King that whether Jehovah saves them or not, they will not bow to another god. They were completely surrendered to YHWH. Babylon had tried to remake these young men. By appearances, it would seem that Babylon had succeeded in changing these men. But Babylon couldn’t change their hearts.
When they are thrown into the furnace, and the King looks in, he sees four men, not three. However, scripture never says that Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego saw the fourth man. The King has our boys pulled out of the furnace - only three went in, and only three came out.
Scripture says that the ropes that bound them were burned away, but other than that, they didn’t even smell like they had been roasting marshmallows.
Here’s where my mind went and how it all connects.
The fire didn’t burn our three men; it just burned the ties to the world that bound them. They didn’t need to see the fourth man in the fire because they already believed he was with them. Only the lost King needed to see the fourth man.
That fire didn’t consume them; however, it burned the dross or ropes and freed them. The fire enabled our three Hebrews to show the King the one true God, or, as Nebuchadnezzar says, “the one shines as if he is the son of gods.”
Oh, how I pray we see the truth and connection here.
The refiner’s fire only burns away the dross, dearly beloved; it burns off what hinders the lost from seeing “the fourth man.” (Please know what I mean here) It enables Christ to be showcased in and through us.
That’s why there are no “bad” circumstances or trials. That’s why we can count it all joy. That’s why we can give thanks in all things (BTW); this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Are you scratching your head asking “why”?
Because, dearly beloved, it’s all good! It starts out good, it is good, and it finishes for good.
Now, our feelings may not be quite on board with it all being good at first. Quite honestly, mine have been on a roller coaster here lately. But that’s okay. We are called to mourn with those who mourn. We can be happy, and we can be sad. Feelings are God-given. They just can’t rule the roost.
Now you know where I’ve been percolating. I’m positive God will continue to act within me according to his good purpose and teach new things as I run my race.
May you be blessed
All to His Glory
Teri Lyn