If you’ve been following along this past year, you know that many of my “go-to” songs have carried a battle-cry feel—songs that helped me fend off the Enemy’s arrows. And I continue to rely on those songs on a daily basis.
This week, however, my attention shifted to a song with a different tone: “All Joy” by Natalie Layne. It’s inspired by the familiar passage in James 1:2–4:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
The song has a very upbeat, peppy feel to it—the kind you might want to dance along to. The energy of the music is lighthearted and fun, the sort of tune that naturally puts a smile on your face.
But if you look more closely at the scripture, you’ll notice the words themselves aren’t all upbeat like the style of the song. The clear context is about seeing how God is at work in our lives through trials and the testing of our faith.
The songwriter recognizes the full spectrum of emotion this passage touches, because the chorus—like the scripture—speaks honestly about seasons of trouble.
CHORUS
I count it all joy when I run into trouble.
Count it all good when the bad days come.
‘Cause I know that you’re always working,
And I know that you’re still not done.
So I’m gonna lift your praise through the trial.
Ain’t no storm gonna stop my voice.
‘Cause I’ve lived some life
And I’ve learned that I can always
Count it all grace,
Count it all joy.
As a widow of almost eight years, this is a scripture I’ve returned to again and again. But I don’t stop at the phrase “count it all joy”—because what follows is the heart of what James wants us to understand. The joy that’s promised only comes as a result of testing, which produces steadfastness.
And ultimately, that’s the journey where God promises us maturity, wholeness, and completion. That’s the final reward of letting Him work in us.
So, my initial emotion when I read this text isn’t the upbeat, dance-along feeling the song’s style might suggest.
If we think this scripture text is only appropriate when we’re feeling upbeat and can easily find the joy in our lives, we’re missing out on one of God’s most powerful promises – to show us purpose through our pain.
In truth, it feels more like when I listen to those battle-cry songs—because this life is hard, and my human struggle is real. God even promises fiery trials, but His work in us, and His ultimate promise for us, is where true joy enters in.
Let me be clear, this isn’t at all a critique of the song—because the writer beautifully captures the tension between joy and trials. But listening to it this week, with its bright, peppy sound, made that contrast especially clear.
Limiting this scripture to times when life feels light and joyful blinds us to its true power—God’s promise to bring purpose out of our pain.
I believe this text speaks most powerfully in our darkest days—when we can’t yet see an end to our suffering and when our hearts are desperate for hope.
So, if this song comes on the radio and you catch yourself tapping along to its catchy rhythm, enjoy it! Just don’t miss the deeper truths it points you toward for your life.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5
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