Sunday, September 22, 2013

Joy - Not in Our Circumstances, But in Our Relationship

The word “joy” appears 19 times in the Epistle of Philippians. The continual repeating of this word is significant to its theme. This is an epistle overflowing with joy – joy in the midst of great trial and persecution.

But the name of Jesus Christ appears over 40 times. That points to the fact that our joy is really dependent upon Jesus. He is the real center of this epistle, and he must be the source of our joy. Not our circumstances, but our relationship with Jesus is the source of our joy. So often, the strife and grief of life is exactly what God has planned for us to draw us ever closer to Himself. There is joy when we allow that to happen.

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, put it this way,
“It doesn’t matter, really, how great the pressure is; it only matter where the pressure lies. See that it never comes between you and the Lord – then, the greater the pressure, the more it presses you to His breast.”
Amen! Always let the pressures of life drive you to Christ, never away from Him Let the trials and tragedies drive you to take shelter under the shadow of His wings. Only there will you find joy.

And we can trust Christ. Even through the bad times, we know that He is in control. He has everything already all worked out. We don’t need to fret about it.

As it says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purposes.” Not everything is good, but God will use everything for good. We can trust Him to do that. So, our joy is dependent upon God.

Psalm 4:7-8 says:
“You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

God puts gladness in our hearts. He does it. He causes us to rejoice. It is Satan who sows discouragement in our hearts. Satan is the one suggesting we sit and have our pity parties sucking our thumb and whining to everyone. Don’t let Satan discourage you, let God give you joy!

As we study from this epistle, learn how to have real joy. Learn to rejoice in the Lord. Not because your circumstances are perfect, nor in spite of the fact that your circumstances are less than desirable, but because you have a relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords.

If you are a born-again believer, God loved you so much that He sent His only begotten Son to take upon Himself the judicial penalty for your sins and die on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for them. Then He adopted you into His family as a son and made you a joint heir with Christ. And He’s gone to prepare a place in heaven for you. How could that not bring you an eternity of joy in spite of any temporary problems of this life?

In Romans 8:18 , Paul said:
“ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

The future is bright and under God’s control. Don’t let a little temporary discomfort rob you of your joy. Let it drive you to Christ where true joy resides.

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