“Battle for Joy”

I’m making my shopping list. I just added “Joy” to my list. Dishwashing liquid that is. Wishing it was that simple to find joy in the midst of trouble. James said, “When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:2) Perhaps remembering that truth when things were rough came easily to James, or maybe he had just been through enough bad times to learn it the hard way.

Ann Voskamp wrote about joy in a blog I read a while back. She said, “Battle for joy or lose your life.” That seems a bit melodramatic, but it’s true. When we allow circumstances to steal our joy, we feel lifeless and defeated. It is a battle. But how do we fight it?

I think that anytime we are faced with adversity, we must look to God’s Word for answers. My sincere prayer in the conflict I’m currently facing is for the issues to be resolved. But in the meantime, I have been miserable. I’m realizing how much I allow difficult circumstances to steal my joy. I’m looking for answers.

God’s Word tells me that I am victorious! “Does it mean that He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Romans 8:35&37)

God’s Word tells me that He will never leave me!  “For He (God) Himself has said, ‘I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. (I will) not, (I will) not, (I will) not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let (you) down (relax My hold on you). Assuredly not!’” (Hebrews 13:5) I love this verse in the Amplified Bible! It doesn’t leave any room for doubt!

Most importantly, I think we must be mindful of the fact that most adversity is from the enemy. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) I think it’s especially difficult to remember this when our conflict is with other Christians.

We don’t want to believe that Satan can use other believers to wreak havoc in our lives. However, I think we need to be even more aware of Satan’s tactics when it comes to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Satan wants nothing more than to destroy the witness of God's power at work in our lives. If Satan can put us at enmity with one another, then the world might never see God’s love in action. “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.” (I John 4:12)

Jesus said, “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35) And so, I choose love. And I choose joy. Believing that “when troubles come (my) way, (I should) consider it an opportunity for great joy.” 

(Note: Immediately after writing this blog, I went to Walmart and had to laugh at the large display of "Joy." I like that I will have a constant reminder at the kitchen sink.)

A Burden Lifted

This blog is dedicated to my daughters, who both encourage me on a regular basis.

I would encourage you to read I Samuel 1:1-20. It’s the story of how God eventually answers Hannah’s prayers for a son. The passage tells us that she was “very discouraged” and “downhearted” because God hadn’t answered her prayers. She “was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.”

Most of us have experienced being discouraged and downhearted. We can relate to Hannah’s response to her seemingly unanswered prayers. Sometimes it’s challenging to wait for God to answer the cry of our heart.

What I found amazing as I reread this passage was Hannah’s response to Eli’s words in verse 17. He merely says, “Go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of Him.” And “then Hannah went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.” (vs. 18)

God still hadn’t answered her prayers, but Eli’s words of encouragement and reminder of God’s faithfulness lifted her burden. She was no longer sad. She had hope again.

Think about it. Eli didn’t answer Hannah with an eloquent speech or applicable scripture. He just told her to go in peace and wait for God to answer. How simple is that? I hope that God will bring this to mind the next time I meet someone who is discouraged and downhearted! To simply and sincerely say, “Go in peace! May God answer your prayers.” A little bit of encouragement certainly can go a long way!

“Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” Colossians 4:6

Grounded

Yesterday, my husband and I drove to the top of Pillar Mountain – a trip we’ve made dozens of times. This time, however, we decided to drive on a new section of dirt road that was built when they were installing wind turbines a few years ago. We always go on the original road because it has a great view of town and the surrounding islands, but we decided to be adventurous.

It was a beautiful day and it was cool to see the view from a different vantage point. This morning as I was posting a photo from that trip up the mountain, I realized that I need a different vantage point in my life…a new perspective on things.

The past few months have been some of the most stressful of my life and I haven’t coped very well. I have allowed circumstances to dictate my emotional well-being and I don’t want to allow outside influences to have such a profound effect on me. I want to be rooted and grounded in God’s love and in His opinions of me. (“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” I John 3:1)  

To be grounded is “to place on a foundation; fix firmly; settle or establish.” Grounded is a verb that needs an object…in this case, God. I want to be fixed firmly and established in God’s love. His Word says that we should let our roots "grow down into God's love and keep you strong.” (Ephesians 3:17)

And so, my prayer is that I would be able to discern what I need to learn in the midst of stressful situations and grow from my adversities. Always mindful that God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness: "‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” (II Corinthians 12:9) 

Imagine the stability that comes from being grounded in His power and love.

Empty Arms – A Mother’s Day Tribute

This will be my second Mother’s Day without my mom. Separation from those we love is difficult, even if we know it’s only temporary. And certain holidays in particular seem to conjure up a flood of memories. At this moment in time, however, my heart aches for a different reason.

I am grieving for the mothers who never had the joy of holding their child; or perhaps only had a brief time with their precious little one. This blog is to remind those mothers that they are not forgotten. Society may not always acknowledge you on this day of celebrating motherhood, but God has not forgotten your sorrow and loss. He knows how your empty arms ache. His Word tells us that He “keeps track of all my sorrows. He has collected all my tears in His bottle. He has recorded each one in His book." (Psalm 56:8)

Imagine. Not one tear has gone unnoticed by God.

And so, on this Mother’s Day, I pray that God’s tender lovingkindness will comfort your heart. And may those of us who have been blessed to see our children grow into adulthood be compassionate to those who had to relinquish that privilege prematurely. For “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT)