Joy Again

Well here is the update on being ‘joyful’ when life is full of tough situations. I don’t want to be glib or trite, I have spent too much of my exciting Christian life ‘talking the talk but not walking the walk’. So much has happened in this short time since the last blog and the situation got worse before it got better.

A week prior to our middle daughter 

leaving her home in Wales to emigrate to Brisbane Australia we heard from our youngest daughter in Perth, WA that a mass had been found in our grand-daughter Ayesha’s bowel and she had lost 15kgs in weight! 

That same night the leaders in a church decided that Joy for Life should not go ahead although tickets had been printed and preparations done.

‘Consider it sheer JOY, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way’. James 1:2-4 MSG

We sing such beautiful worship songs saying things like ‘You are all I need’ but when He is all we have can we really say that?

Just prior to hearing about Ayesha I was in a class about walking in the supernatural and when the leader prayed for the Holy Spirit to move, I knew He was doing a deep work in me. He showed me that because of things going wrong in the past I had allowed this to draw a picture in my heart of who God is. I did not believe God is GOOD. I received prayer and my spiritual ‘specs’ changed completely and stayed that way when I got further bad news. My Heavenly Father had gone before and strengthened my heart.

In every circumstance Jesus knew that it would work for His good as His Father is good all the time (Romans 8:28) so He used joy as a powerful spiritual force to see Him through to victory. Psalm 16:11. I had to choose to look away from all that would distract me and turn to Jesus, Hebrews 12:2. Because of the joy awaiting Him, and all of us who believe in Him, He endured the Cross, disregarding its shame. Then we can choose joy in every circumstance! Then we can be strong in Him, His joy is our strength, Nehemiah 8:10.

How?

“.. continue in His Love with Me ........ I have told you this so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes your cup of joy will overflow.” John 15:9-11. Constantly receive His LOVE

Joy comes from walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, with believing. Romans 15:13.

Joy comes from being consistent in our relationship with Jesus Christ, Who is the source of all joy. Hebrews 12:2; John 15:11.

Joy comes when we constantly remind ourselves of His amazing love for us as proved at the Cross, giving us salvation. Isaiah 12:3; Ephesians 3:14-21; 1 Peter 1:8.

Joy comes when we OBEY the command to 'rejoice in all circumstances'. It is irrelevant of our feelings which will change as we thank God and worship Him for our salvation and the joy that comes with it. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18; John 16:20-22.

Joy comes by faith, just like love, when we act in obedience, the feelings follow. Habakkuk 3:17-19.  

Joy comes even if our circumstances are exceptionally difficult, e.g. Paul was in chains in prison when he wrote to the Philippians. Philippians 1:12-14; 1 Peter 4:12-13. When he chose to praise God.

Joy comes by entering into celebrations that honour God and not ourselves, strengthening us with His joy. Paul and Silas praised in prison, God caused an earthquake, so all their shackles were unfastened. Freedom was for all, so as we rejoice we set others free. Acts 16:23-34; Psalm 126:1-3. 

Joy comes by living in harmony. Philippians 2:1-5.

Joy comes by speaking the Word with our mouths, in faith not feelings, knowing God is working every circumstance for our good, Romans 8:28; Proverbs 15:23; Jeremiah 15:16.

Jesus is the fantastic example of the power of joy. “Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” Hebrews 12:3. He could walk in such joy because He had a heart overflowing with love for all people and NO selfish ambition, John 17:13. In the Old Testament there are so many warnings that come to God’s children when they moan and groan, with dire consequences, Numbers 11; Job 36:21. 

But we have so many modern ways to help us overcome grief and self-pity. I have used ‘Spotify’ daily to get the best worship music to focus my heart on Jesus. There is always ‘phone a friend’, and so many wonderful prayer lines, for example www.ucb.co.uk or www.cfan.org.uk.

I have to say I know that living a tough life Jesus’ way really works, and I have had many wonderful days since our daughter left focusing on Him, but not everyday. We shared a birthday party in Brisbane via FaceTime and today we have had a conducted tour of their new home and watched the excitement as they unpacked their precious belongings from the container via FaceTime!

And wonderful rejoicing when Ayesha had more tests and the mass had disappeared, the doctors don’t understand but we do - ‘God is good all the time’!

How can our hearts have the endurance Jesus had? By focusing where Jesus focused: on “the joy that God put before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). He lifted His eyes beyond the horizon and saw the table. He focused on the feast. And what He saw gave Him strength to finish — and finish strong. Joy comes from knowing this world is only temporary and that someday we will be with God forever. It comes from the fact that, although we do not yet see God, we “believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). It comes from a life of submission to the Holy Spirit - regardless of circumstances.