“Let me have joy
of thee in the Lord:
Refresh my
bowels in the Lord.” Phm. 1:20
Question:
Does circumstance dictate joy in
ones bowels? (“bowels”: the seat of our passions)
Let’s
explore a couple real life examples:
- Tami and Larry lost their jobs recently. The loss of income, identity and validation is real, but the responses differ. One experiences deep-seated joy amidst his/her grieving while another person is driven to cavernous depression. Why?
- The Smith’s and Garcia’s have both lost a child. Loss of precious life and indescribable heartache are very real, but individual responses differ. One family experiences deep-seated joy amidst their mourning and the other family is succumbing to gaping despair. Why?
- This weekend Shaun called 911 and saved a woman who had taken a “cocktail of drugs and tequila” and became unconscious in a resort hot tub. ~What kind of internal hopelessness drove a married woman to desire to “check out of life”?
- Today, friends in Nigeria are experiencing unimaginable persecution, yet despite excessive maltreatment, possess bona fide joy. Why?
Regular
people experiencing tragedies of this life…some testify to joy amidst their
mourning and others are driven to very dark spaces. Why?
God
tells us that true joy is tied to vibrant relationship with Him and is not dependent on circumstance. And when true joy becomes dependent on
someone/something other than the Father
of Hope Himself, trust and thankfulness in our Creator take a back seat, joy
becomes merely a conditional feeling, and internal darkness is inevitable.
(Rom. 1:25)
Said
differently: Joylessness occurs when we lose someone or something that we’ve worshipped…when we lose someone or
something that’s become our idol, our “god”. (E.g.: a mother whose “life has
been her kids” and they “leave the nest”; or a husband whose life has been his
job and is forced into early retirement; or and elite athlete that has
dedicated his/her life to a particular sport and now, ages out; etc.)
“Honor God by
honoring what He says is important to Him…
Then, you will
find your joy in the Lord.” Is. 59:13-14
Amen.
Trusting
God with a thankful heart amidst the difficulties this week,
Much
love, ~Shaun and Betsy
"Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you
again, and your heart will rejoice,
And no one will take your joy away from you. Jn. 16:22
