Joy?????

by Peggy Brown

As I write this, Saturday morning, I am about to embark on an adventure. While Wayne goes on a business trip, I am going to spend a week at the home of a….let’s just say difficult person. I admit, it was my idea, but don’t ask me why I came up with it because I really don’t know. Sue Donaldson blames the Holy Spirit!

The closer the trip gets the more I am;

a) wondering what I was thinking, and

b) thinking about how God wants to use this time for His glory.

It’s funny how my random thoughts have slowly focued into a theme. That theme is JOY. Song titles like “There is Joy in Serving Jesus”, “I Have the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart”, “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength” keep popping into my mind. As I went to sleep the other night a little chorus that I learned as a child came into my mind like someone had turned on a tape! It goes like this:

Jesus and others and you, what a wonderful way to spell Joy.

Jesus and others and you, in the heart of each girl and each boy.

J is for Jesus and He gets first place,

O is for others you meet face to face,

Y is for you in whatever you do, put Jesus first and spell Joy!

What is joyful about going into a difficult situation? What does the Bible mean when it uses the word JOY? I went looking.

I found Ps. 21:6 – "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence".

And – Ps. 16:11- You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

And- Rom. 15:13- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(emphasis mine)

Here’s that Holy Spirit thing; as I look forward to the trip, I realize and acknowledge that it probably won’t be an enjoyable week. It will most likely be trying and difficult. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t have joy. Joy is NOT feeling good or happy or content. Joy is the result of acknowledging God’s presence with me the whole week. Joy is the result of trusting Him, my hope, for His strength and the power of the Holy Spirit to be His hands and feet (and mouth and attitude) in this situation.

My desire is to show Jesus to this one who doesn’t know Him. My desire is to minister where there is much need and to overflow with hope. Clearly I can’t if I am focused on myself, or my needs. I can only do it if I am focusing on the joy of the Lord. Will you pray with me and for me as I head into this adventure? Pray that my eyes will be off of myself and on Jesus only and that He will be glorified by my life this week!

Thanks!

Lord, You know my heart. You know that I want to be a light and a blessing this week. You also know that it is a difficult thing for me to do in this situation. Help me to focus on You so that what others see is Your joy in me and that in the end, You will be glorified. Amen