Count it Joy!

Remember when you were a little kid?  Life was easy as a little kid.  All you had to worry about was playing outside and making sure you picked up your toys. Also, making sure you didn't dump water on your little brother's head in the bathtub . . . could've used a heads up on that one. haha But seriously, it didn't take much to make us happy when we were kids.

We played outside!

We played in the water (any chance we got!!)

Fun was seriously exhausting!!

As children, we took great joy in everything around us.  We were fascinated by something as simple as a butterfly.  We would play with the packaging that our Christmas presents came in. There is an enviable innocence to childhood that we don't even realize or appreciate until it is gone.  Because then . . . we grow up.  We see the harsh realities of the world in which we live.  We experience hurts at the hands of people who are supposed to care about us, as well as those we don't even know. Sometimes life can become overwhelming and we don't see any hope.  All we feel is despair in our situation.  But let me tell you, friends.  Life does not have to be that way.  If Christ is a part of your life, he can bring back that joy that you once used to have.  He wants to.

You might think that as a child of God, your life will be easy and that the reason why Christians can have joy is because nothing ever goes wrong for them.  To that, I have only one word . . . Hah!!! Think again! 

Any of you who know me at all, know that my life is far from simple and easy.  I have had to work hard to get where I am and even now it's nowhere to brag about.  I'm a thirty-something who lives with her parents, drives a piece-of-crap car and can't pay her bills.  But I choose not to focus on that.  I choose to focus on the blessings that Christ has bestowed upon me.  Ok, so I'm living with my parents right now, but hey, I just graduated with my Accounting degree from Purdue and I'm finally doing the work that I've been trained to do.  I'm working on bettering myself.  

Rebekah: 1; Despair: 0.

Sure, I have a car that is a piece of garbage, but will I have it forever? No way!! I can look forward to the day when I will say adios to (not so) dear old Damian and say hello to something a little nicer and more dependable.

Rebekah: 2; Despair: 0

I can't write this post without mentioning the fact that I am, as of this moment, still a single girl.  There was a time when that seriously bothered me.  What could be so wrong with me that no one wants me? What did I ever do that would make me undesirable to someone as a life mate?  But over the years, I've realized, I can't base my happiness on a person, unless that person is Jesus Christ.  Because no matter how amazing that person is, they are human.  They are fallible.  There will come a time when they will fail you.  However, my God NEVER fails me.  In Joshua 1:5, God promises us "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."  Even when we feel like no one is on our side; that no one cares for us.  We still have God's love and His presence.  So, am I alone? Absolutely not.  If at some point God brings the right guy along, then I am definitely ok with that, but until then I am happy to be with the people who love me and the God who has promised to always be there for me.

Rebekah: 3; Despair: 0

You know, the Bible talks about "joy".  James 1:2-4 says:

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

This verse says we should count it a little joy? just some of it? No, it says ALL joy.  God sends difficulties and trials our way, but He does it for our good.  God knows what He is doing.  He knows what we need.  If He sends something our way, it is for a reason.  Maybe you went through a horrible divorce.  Maybe you were in a horrific car accident.  Maybe you lost a loved one to cancer.  Those things were difficult.  There were days when you could barely put one foot in front of the other.  But you made it through, didn't you? And now there are others out there going through the same situations and they need someone who understands, who can just be a friend.  What better way to be a friend than to say, "Hey, you know what? I've been there and yeah, it's tough, but I came through it and you will, too." What an encouragement!

Trying.  It's not exactly a word that gets tossed around that often anymore, at least not in this context.  Dictionary.com defines it as an adjective meaning: difficult or annoying; hard to endure.  God uses trials and temptations to try our faith.  He wants to make us stronger.  And so often we fight against it.  We say "No, God.  This is too hard.  I can't do it.  Take it away."  But look at the next verse (vs. 4) But "let" patience have her perfect work.  Yes, it says let.  When God sends trials our way, we are to let Him do it.  It is necessary to make us into His image.

We are much like this clay pot.  God is using His hands to shape us into the person He wants us to be, but we resist Him.  And when we do so, our pot doesn't reflect Him, so He has to reshape us.  That's when it hurts, but the end result is so worth it.  So, if you are a Christian and maybe you are experiencing some difficulties in your life (or drama, as I have recently dubbed it), why not examine your life and see how you can let the joy of life in Christ shine through you to those around you?  You don't have to be a Debbie Downer.  You can smile in spite of your circumstances because the God who loves you has given you so much to smile about.

Let me also say, if you're reading this and you don't have joy in your life, and you don't have peace.  You can!!  Through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you can know peace in your heart and find joy in life once again.  Christ died for your sins, so that you can live victoriously on earth and so that you can live forever in Heaven.  He loves you more than any person ever can.  He wants to be a part of your life and He can be, if you will let Him.  If you'd like to know more about how to begin a personal relationship with Christ, please send me an email or message me on facebook and I'd be happy to explain to you in greater detail about my wonderful Savior and what He's done for me and what he can do for you.

And if you see me with a smile on my face, it doesn't mean my life is perfect (far from it).  It just means that I am choosing to claim God's promises and have joy. :)

p.s. Here are some other verses about joy. Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 16:11, Isaiah 29:19, II John 12 :)