Joy in Hard Times

Recently, I found myself kind of "down."  Circumstances didn't necessarily help the situation and neither did hormones...  

Although I appreciate the premise of thankfulness and an attitude of gratitude feeding joy, when I started thinking about what I had to be thankful for, I also found myself thinking about some aspects of those same things that were frustrating me.  I also remembered that if any of my blessings (husband, kids, home, health, etc.) were lost, Scripture still calls us to have "joy."  

So, I started writing out the reasons for joy in spite of my circumstances and that transcend my temporal blessings.  I felt my heart softening and load lifting as I continued to write them down.  I stopped at 10, but you could surely record more!

May the LORD use His living and active Word to penetrate and lighten your heart as well, if you feel downtrodden by the weight of this broken world!

In spite of my circumstances or even my blessings, I have substantial reason to be JOYFUL:

1) "I can have JOY because Christ has taken care of my greatest need."  (This is a quote by my former pastor, Erik Raymond.  When he shared this at our church's "Unspeakable Joy" Christmas Program a few years ago, it really stuck with me.  It is often the first thing I remind myself when I get "down."  My greatest need is that the penalty of my sin is paid for and the power of my sin is conquered, both which has already been accomplished by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and my faith in Him!  

      ~ Colossians 2:13-15 - "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

      ~1 Peter 1:8,9 -  "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your soul."

2) I am forgiven; I don't need to bear the weight of my sin!

        ~ Ephesians 1:7,8 - "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight."

     ~Romans 8:1,2 - "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."

3) I am not currently under persecution; I have federal freedom, but even if I didn't, I have personal freedom in Christ! 

    ~ John 8:32 - "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

    ~ Galatians 5:1 - "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

4) I have the hope of eternity with Christ -- this life is a light and momentary affliction!

     ~1 John 5:11-13 -  "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life."

     ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

5) God is for me, not against me!

      ~ Romans 8:31 -  "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

     ~ Zephaniah 3:17 - "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;he will exult over you with loud singing."

6) I have the power of the Holy Spirit!

     ~ Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

     ~ Ephesians 3:16 - "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,"

7) My acceptance is through Christ and not based on my accomplishments in this world. 

     ~ Ephesians 2:4-10 - "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

     ~ 2 Corinthians 3:4,5 - "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,"

8) I have a calling and purpose of eternal significance!

     ~ Ephesians 4:1 - "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called"

    ~ John 15:8 - "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

9) I have the presence of the LORD!

     ~ Psalm 16:11 - "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

     ~ Psalm 21:6 - "For you make him most blessed forever;
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence."

     ~ John 15:11 - "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

10) My trials are a testing of my faith that refine me to look more like Jesus, which is a witness to the watching world!

     ~ 1 Peter 1:6,7 - "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

     ~ James 1:2-4 -  "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

        In brief: 

1) "I can have JOY because Christ has taken care of my greatest need!" (Col. 2:13-15; 1 Pet. 1:8,9)

2) I am forgiven; I don't need to bear the weight of my sin! (Eph. 1:7,8; Rom. 8:1)

3) I am not currently under persecution; I have federal freedom, but even if I didn't, I would have personal freedom in Christ! (John 8:32; Gal. 5:1)

4) I have the hope of eternity with Christ -- this life is a light and momentary affliction!

5) God is for me, not against me! (1 John 5:11-13; 2 Cor. 4:16-18)

6) I have the power of the Holy Spirit! (Rom. 8:31; Zeph. 3:17)

7) My acceptance is through Christ and not based on my accomplishments in this world.                                                                                                                                      (Eph. 2:4-10; 2 Cor. 3:4,5) 

8) I have a calling and purpose of eternal significance! (Eph. 4:1; John 15:8)

9) I have the presence of the LORD! (Ps. 16:11, 21:6; John 15:11)

10) My trials are a testing of my faith that refine me to look more like Jesus, which is a witness to the watching world! (James 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6,7)

"Joy in Hard Times" was first seen on Lordletmelearn.blogspot.com (c) 2019.