Key to Joy

Yesterday was exhausting yet a total delight. The quilt guild I belong to held their show of over 200 incredible quilts, with venders, door prizes, a featured quilter, a memorial booth honoring those who have died, and the community outreach booth where I served for a couple hours. This is the division that receives donated materials and makes quilts for needy people.

In my first trip around the space (a well-lit curling rink) I met dozens of people that I’ve not seen for months, even years. We had joyful conversations and that alone was the most obvious reason that the Lord prompted me to attend and to serve in a small way. I thank Him for such a blessed experience.

Interesting that today’s devotional reading is about His zeal — He wants me to serve Him in gladness. John Piper says it and quotes examples from the Bible. One of them is a surprise. I have read it many times and didn’t realize the impact…

Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. (Deuteronomy 28:47–48)

This is loaded with meaning. Serving the Lord involves being filled with His Spirit. Many other passages verify that I cannot do the will of God unless I am abiding in Him and unless He is filling me with what I need to do it. Also, the fruit of the Spirit is joy — the indicator of being filled. I keep saying that if that joy is not there, I’ve taken over the control of my life. Joy is the mark of being Spirit-filled. The above verses tell the results… if I’m not joyful in serving God then I am serving something else. Not only that, without the blessing of the Holy Spirit, my life will be empty and my efforts for whatever I am doing will wear me out.

All of this is reflected in the words of Jesus. He calls those who fall away into joyless and tiresome work:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

Of course the yoke is easy for when I take it. Joy comes with the burdens that God gives. I recall one time walking and praying and complaining about my responsibilities. I was feeling heavily laden and not happy about it. As I grumbled, the Lord whispered to me: “Get out of My to-do list” — and I burst out laughing. His words released me and instantly restored my joy.

This is not about being happy. Circumstances may not change and happiness is based on circumstances. Joy is different, supernatural. It is released from a trusting heart by the Spirit of God who lives there, regardless of the circumstances. Why is that so? In a passage about using spiritual gifts, the NT explains why:

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10–11)

PRAY: Oh Lord, You are amazing. No other master, boss, god, or even my own self can rule my life and include joy as the main indicator that I’m serving the right or the best way — only You. Yesterday I went to the show because You put it on my heart to go, to serve, and it was a day of incredible joy in talking with others. The quilts were spectacular, yet that joy came from You and it involved serving people. My body became very tired in all the activity, but You made my heart sing. Thank You for the joy You give! 

Choosing comfort in sorrow

Last weekend I had an awful experience. If focused on it, I would be upset and filled with negative emotions. However, the Holy Spirit prompted me to focus on the will of God and think about how He used that experience for a blessing to someone else. As soon as I responded, the negatives were replaced with His comfort and with joy.

Today’s devotional is about the various kinds of sorrow or mourning that we experience. Some of them are common to all, such a grief when a loved one dies or is injured, yet even then, the Bible says that Christians do not mourn the same way as others. In reference to other believers who have died, it says:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

Our faith in God’s promises helps us during loss of loved ones. When my dad died, a young woman said, “I know it is a sad time, but I’m so happy for your dad!” That remark lifted my sorrow and I realized most of it was about feeling sorry for myself. Those whose loved ones go to heaven cannot mourn for them for we know that they are in the best possible place.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) Comfort for those who mourn a death is only one reason for mourning or grief or sorrow. Those who live only to enjoy life and avoid problems struggle when things don’t go their way. On the other hand, Christians can experience the joy of the Holy Spirit even in the midst of sorrow, a paradox yet true, and that joy is a great comfort.

Human sorrow is not always self-focused. I’m sad watching the news most days. People are suffering. Some of it seems needless and so tragic. Yet I am comforted knowing that God sees, knows, and can use all things for good, even if I cannot see it or know what He is doing. His sovereignty is a great comfort.

I’m also grieved when I see sin in human lives. My own sin of course, but others too. I know that without faith and the power of God’s Spirit, sin will happen, but it is so destructive and causes so much pain especially if the comfort God that gives is unavailable.

Christians sin too, and that is often a more profound grief because our sin grieves the Holy Spirit and He lives in me, so I feel His grief. Yet the hope and promises of God are a comfort too. I mourn the sin yet can look at the One who bore our sin and be consoled. A big reason for comfort is that we will eventually defeat sin and be like Jesus:

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

Our hope is a comfort, as is this description of eternity:

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

Lord Jesus, You sent the Holy Spirit to be my Comforter. Every day I experience small or large trials that could drive me to tears, yet You enable me to lean on You, to be fed by Your words and promises, and to talk to You about all the things that bother me as well as give thanks for Your comfort and all that You do for me and for others, even for what You are doing in this world. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord — to the glory of God. That thought is a great comfort too!

TAKE COMFORT: David spent much time and anguish as Saul pursued him with intent to kill him. Read Psalm 55 and feel his sorrow and then look at what He determined to take as his comfort. For those who know Jesus, how often is comfort a choice?