The Faith To Be Joyful When Life Is Rough

Hey, you, my friend.  Did you know that God did not create you to be a beat down Christian?

Look we all have troubles and trials that easily overwhelm.  Yesterday, I talked to my boss after he received some bad news.  After processing it, he said something profound.  "The reality has not changed because I now know the news.  So it's not bad news.  It's the opposite.  Now I am aware of a reality that already existed and I can respond to it."

Awareness of your troubles is an opportunity to respond.  You can respond in fear or anger or worry or you can respond in seeking God for strength and courage and joy.  You can choose to live joyfully triumphant.  Either way.  Your reality does not change.

The Prophet Habakkuk explains it like this:

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights. 
Habakkuk 3:17-19

Habakkuk was living in a time when injustice surrounded him.  Nothing made sense.  Nothing seemed fair.  But he chose joy.  He chose to tap into the strength of his creator.

Did you know that you have the power to tap into the joy of God's spirit anytime you need it? You do not need to embrace your emptiness and reduce yourself to dry bones when you face troubles.
Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Don't get me wrong, we can do nothing without God but if we tap into his spirit we can do everything with him!  We may have trouble mustering up joy on our own but we can find it in God!  Seek Him, find joy.  Isn't this good news?  Isn't this reason to preach on our wholeness and not our brokenness?
Hebrews 13:5 “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

We must maintain hope which brings joy.
Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”

We must be thankful which stems from appreciation not anxiousness.
Philemon 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

​Don't worry, thank Him for all the good He is, all the wholeness He extends, and then make your requests known.  Be patient as you wait for the response and kill the time with being hopeful.  Joyful.  Triumphant.

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