“Joy is untouched by circumstance.” ― Anonymous
We are warned in the Bible that life will bring challenges. In 1 Peter 4:12 (GNT), it says, “My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you.”
Notice the words painful & suffering, which means it is difficult and not easy. Then, we are instructed in James 1:2 (ESV), “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”
Yet, some may ask, “How is that possible? Joy, when things are going well, no problem! But, through pain & suffering, No Way?!”
Well, the good news is that so far in this series, we have come to understand three crucial factors:
- Joy is a gift of God that we access through His Spirit for those who belong to Christ.
- We can have complete joy daily by reading and obeying God’s Word (the Bible).
- Joy is strength, but it is powerful. It enables us to have a positive supply of power to address whatever we face and even enough strength to withstand or defeat the devil’s attack against us.
When we operate in each of these, we can have joy in every situation.
“Deep, contended joy comes from a place of complete security and confidence [in God] – even in the midst of trial.” ― Swindoll Charles R.
Standing on God’s Word, which is His promise and our sword, gives us the strength & encouragement we need. Whenever we are going through any trial, let’s remember this powerful promise God gave us in Isaiah 43:2 (TLB):
“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you.”
Please join me next time as we continue to “focus on joy.”
[Joy is => inner gladness, delight, calm delight, or even rejoicing.]
If you missed the prior post, click here.
Thank you for your time. Be Blessed! LR Maddox
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