“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
A good mate asked a fair and pertinent question. After a year of thinking and writing about it, do you feel more joy? I would have loved it if I could give an emphatic positive response but the answer, and the journey, has not been that simple.
I started the year with a thought that I wanted to test, now I realise that my faith was the thing being prepared for testing. My thought was that if all I’ve read about joy in the Bible is true and God is faithful, then joy should be possible in any moment, in any circumstance.
My sense of commitment to (and enjoyment of) writing this blog has given me a chance to pause regularly and come back to the thought that I began with. Sometimes it’s been easy to feel and recognise the joy, but I guess I’ve learnt more from the times when it hasn’t been obvious, or when I’ve had to fight for it.
There has been many times this year when joy has come easily – the birth of my new baby boy would be number one. But there have been many quiet moments over the year when I have needed to put away doubts or negative thoughts or selfishness. I’ve had to deliberately choose to believe, and then the joy has come. At times, this has been quite difficult.
The variable is faith. It is my faith that has been tested and (hopefully) grown throughout the year. My joy journey (you can make a bad pun with a Chicago accent – “my joyney”) hasn’t been the stroll through the flowers that I envisioned at the beginning of the year, but it has been a wonderfully rich and fruitful season nonetheless.
I know that my faith for joy has increased. I believe that joy is possible, that God keeps it available, freely available, but without trusting Him there will be times when it is impossible to feel.
God is good, and He is completely faithful. And I am thankful for the journey. I believe that He wants us to experience and be filled with joy. It is one of the wonderful results of trusting and believing in Him.
What do you believe about joy?
Just as I felt led into this journey, I am now sensing that this chapter is closing. I hope to keep learning about joy (and experiencing it), but I think new writing adventures are coming.
I would really appreciate your feedback. I really enjoy writing and encouraging people and I’d like to keep learning how I can do both better. Feel free to comment at http://geenotes.blogspot.com or email me at markgee@gmail.com.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Watch out! Joy-thief about!
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Your joy is a precious commodity and there are thieves that are keen to take it from you. There are thieves such as envy, worry, pride and doubt. Any of these can rip-off your joy and leave you down for days – or longer. I have found that fear is a biggie. In fact all the thieves are really working to take away your faith which is the basis for your joy. One thief on which I am an expert is self-pity.
I haven’t become an expert by observation. Self-pity is an issue with which I have had to battle head on – on more than a few occasions. During a significant battle on holidays once, God spoke to my heart about self-pity and it’s effects on me after I got a tick. That nasty little thing was hard to diagnose, hard to find and hard to remove. At first you don’t notice it, then it starts to sting. The tick grows as it feeds on you, and as it slowly releases its poison.
What triggers self-pity in you?
My birthday is coming up this week. I don’t know about you but it seems that these occasions can cause us to reflect with a perspective that is selfish and negative. I woke up the other day feeling a little flat. It took a little while longer before I had diagnosed another flare up of the self-pity infection.
It’s easy to start to feel sorry for yourself, there’s even a kind of comfort that we can feel in it. But joy cannot exist with self-pity. And it’s only a matter of time before your self-pity will help you to justify being grumpy with others.
It’s no good nursing the tick – you have to get it out before a sting becomes a sickness. Holding on to some claim or right to feel sorry for yourself will only hurt you and your relationships. Let it go. Be grateful. Think about how you can make things better for other people.
Is a thief threatening your joy today?
Your joy is a precious commodity and there are thieves that are keen to take it from you. There are thieves such as envy, worry, pride and doubt. Any of these can rip-off your joy and leave you down for days – or longer. I have found that fear is a biggie. In fact all the thieves are really working to take away your faith which is the basis for your joy. One thief on which I am an expert is self-pity.
I haven’t become an expert by observation. Self-pity is an issue with which I have had to battle head on – on more than a few occasions. During a significant battle on holidays once, God spoke to my heart about self-pity and it’s effects on me after I got a tick. That nasty little thing was hard to diagnose, hard to find and hard to remove. At first you don’t notice it, then it starts to sting. The tick grows as it feeds on you, and as it slowly releases its poison.
What triggers self-pity in you?
My birthday is coming up this week. I don’t know about you but it seems that these occasions can cause us to reflect with a perspective that is selfish and negative. I woke up the other day feeling a little flat. It took a little while longer before I had diagnosed another flare up of the self-pity infection.
It’s easy to start to feel sorry for yourself, there’s even a kind of comfort that we can feel in it. But joy cannot exist with self-pity. And it’s only a matter of time before your self-pity will help you to justify being grumpy with others.
It’s no good nursing the tick – you have to get it out before a sting becomes a sickness. Holding on to some claim or right to feel sorry for yourself will only hurt you and your relationships. Let it go. Be grateful. Think about how you can make things better for other people.
Is a thief threatening your joy today?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Joy to Share
And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
Joy makes you generous. It opens your heart and prepares you to share what’s inside. That helps the joy to become contagious.
The churches of Macedonia were praised for their rich generosity in the context of severe trial and extreme poverty. Even though they were in difficulty they had overflowing joy. They will forever be known as people who didn’t give in to self-pity in their trials but had great faith that overflowed as joy.
A heart of joy is open and ready to share that treasure inside. In their joy the Macedonians didn’t wonder about their own future but trusted God and looked to share even their finances with others. They had a strong desire to give and they gave beyond their ability because they had real faith and joy.
There’s something about being joyful that makes you want to share it, whether it’s a great joke you just heard, a great thing that happened or a great smile you just received.
Because of their joy in trial, the Macedonians were ready to give themselves, to give what they had, and to share their joy.
I’d like to be more like the Macedonians, to have such faith and trust in God that I would have joy in the most difficult times, and to be a person who would be ready to share the joy.
Who’d like to be a little more Macedonian this week?
Joy makes you generous. It opens your heart and prepares you to share what’s inside. That helps the joy to become contagious.
The churches of Macedonia were praised for their rich generosity in the context of severe trial and extreme poverty. Even though they were in difficulty they had overflowing joy. They will forever be known as people who didn’t give in to self-pity in their trials but had great faith that overflowed as joy.
A heart of joy is open and ready to share that treasure inside. In their joy the Macedonians didn’t wonder about their own future but trusted God and looked to share even their finances with others. They had a strong desire to give and they gave beyond their ability because they had real faith and joy.
There’s something about being joyful that makes you want to share it, whether it’s a great joke you just heard, a great thing that happened or a great smile you just received.
Because of their joy in trial, the Macedonians were ready to give themselves, to give what they had, and to share their joy.
I’d like to be more like the Macedonians, to have such faith and trust in God that I would have joy in the most difficult times, and to be a person who would be ready to share the joy.
Who’d like to be a little more Macedonian this week?
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Opposite
“…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,” 2 Corinthians 6:10
What’s the opposite of joy?
I’m glad to receive some wise teaching at church. My pastor has said that if you ask God for patience, He’ll probably give you situations to learn patience. If you ask God for wisdom, you may well end up needing to make some very difficult decisions.
I started this year (and this blog) with the desire to search out this joy thing and the feeling that I would learn a lot. I didn’t expect the opposite. It’s been a great year, but it has also been an oddly difficult year. I’ve been surprised how often I’ve had to push through feelings of negativity and even despondency.
Paul seemed to get this. On more than one occasion Paul wrote sorrow and joy in the same sentence. He wrote joyfully from prison. Through hardships he found great riches in his soul and in his work. He knew what it meant to learn and express joy in the opposite context. Paul and his friend Silas once rejoiced their way out of prison.
Habbakuk’s stoic statement shows that he also understood that joy is possible, even when there is no evidence to support it.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habbakuk 3:17-18)
I am beginning to realise that those who show joy, real and consistent joy, aren’t that way based on some chance of disposition. Rather, perhaps they have learnt their lessons through pain and difficulty, without bowing to self-pity and doubt.
God is a good teacher, and even better, He is a faithful Father. He has been with me in each moment, often reminding me that joy is only a breath away. First comes trust, and faith – then joy can come.
How is God using your current challenge to achieve the answers to your prayers?
What’s the opposite of joy?
I’m glad to receive some wise teaching at church. My pastor has said that if you ask God for patience, He’ll probably give you situations to learn patience. If you ask God for wisdom, you may well end up needing to make some very difficult decisions.
I started this year (and this blog) with the desire to search out this joy thing and the feeling that I would learn a lot. I didn’t expect the opposite. It’s been a great year, but it has also been an oddly difficult year. I’ve been surprised how often I’ve had to push through feelings of negativity and even despondency.
Paul seemed to get this. On more than one occasion Paul wrote sorrow and joy in the same sentence. He wrote joyfully from prison. Through hardships he found great riches in his soul and in his work. He knew what it meant to learn and express joy in the opposite context. Paul and his friend Silas once rejoiced their way out of prison.
Habbakuk’s stoic statement shows that he also understood that joy is possible, even when there is no evidence to support it.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habbakuk 3:17-18)
I am beginning to realise that those who show joy, real and consistent joy, aren’t that way based on some chance of disposition. Rather, perhaps they have learnt their lessons through pain and difficulty, without bowing to self-pity and doubt.
God is a good teacher, and even better, He is a faithful Father. He has been with me in each moment, often reminding me that joy is only a breath away. First comes trust, and faith – then joy can come.
How is God using your current challenge to achieve the answers to your prayers?
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