Where can I find joy in this? (Living as Light - Part 6)

Where can I find joy in this?

Over the last few weeks I have either written about hope.  I have talked about the importance of putting
fear aside and embracing hope.  I have written about hope as a feeling that we experience and as a
mindset we choose.

But

We all face situations where we just do not know how to find joy.

A parent passes away unexpectedly

A family member is struggles with mental health

You are unhappy with your job.

You are having a hard time making ends meet.

You feel disconnected with few close friends.

Your struggling with your prayer life.

Where can you find joy in those situations?  There are no easy answers or quick solutions but my
advice is to lean hard on your faith and hold on tight to your hope.  Our faith in the LORD is believing,
trusting and obeying all together. Sometimes we one of those elements of faith is stronger than the
others but all together they can help us find joy.

Hope is the path or journey to the promise rest the LORD has prepared for us.  Hope is not an easy path
and the journey can be difficult. It is the destination where we find rest.  Along the way will find help from
fellow travelers and the Holy Spirit.

 All of us struggle to see joy because of darkness.  Sometimes it is darkness around us and sometimes
it is within us that  makes it hard to see the light of the LORD around us.

You are not in this alone we are with you and the LORD is with you.

Living as Light - Part 5

Joy is another way we illuminate this dark world.  As followers of Jesus the joy we experience is
complicated and counter intuitive.  Like love, joy is also choice we make. It is a choice we make in spite
of difficult circumstances around but it also a choice we make because of wonderful events.

One side of the joy coin is looking difficulty and pain straight on and choosing joy.  Now, let me try to
illustrate another side of the joy coin.

Side B

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts
of the Lord’s people. - Philemon 7

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father
commanded us.  - 2 John 4

Joy can be a feeling.  When something wonderful happens we feel joy.  This feeling of joy is something
we want to share.  We feel it when we see the LORD’s power at work. When the good news about
Jesus spreads.  When hurting people are comforted by believers. When we confess our sin and are
forgiven. When broken people and relationships are healed  When an unexpected word of
encouragement comes our way.

Joy doesn’t come quickly.  It may take time. There will be ups and downs.  Joy will come.
Our task is to follow, be faithful and walk in the LORD’s love.

Joy is not feeling happy.  Joy is not ignoring the bad to just see good.  It is one of the characteristics of a
Spirit filled life. 

Living as Light Part 4

Joy is another way we illuminate this dark world.  As followers of Jesus the joy we experience is
complicated and counter intuitive.  Like love, joy is also a choice we make. It is a choice we make in
spite of difficult circumstances around but it also a choice we make because of wonderful events.

Let me try to illustrate these two sides of the joy coin.

Side A

 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Hebrew 12.2

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance.  - James 1:2–3

The author of Hebrews tells us Jesus chose joy as he set out to endure the cross.  James tells us in
his letter that we are to choose joy when our faith is tested. We do not naturally want to endure painful
events.  We do not naturally want to choose joy when we face testing of our faith. We live in a culture
that avoids difficulty, pain and discomfort but as followers we are called to choose to find joy.

Joy is not being happy.  Joy is not ignoring the bad to just see good.  Joy is choosing to look difficulty
and pain straight on.  We may not know what the outcome will be. Our light shines we we choose to
grow, become stronger and learn during difficult and testing times.

Next week we will look at the other side of joy.