Do you remember a time when you felt pure joy? Unexplainable, unabashed joy? Or maybe it was explainable? Maybe you had a happening occur that fully justified your joy. Those are wonderful moments to hold dear to your heart. But what about those moments that are everyday? What about the moments that feel anything but joyous? How do we find joy in being a servant? In plugging away, day by day, without no real sense of success? God has been tugging on my heart with verses like these lately:
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.
(Also, referred to in 1 Corinthians 1:31 and 10:16)
Remember in the Chronicles of Narnia when Aslan (the Christ character) tells one of the children that he will only reveal that child’s purpose to him? The child (I can’t remember which one, let’s say Lucy) wants to know what happened to someone else. But Aslan won’t tell her. Because that is not her story. It is not for us to know the why or reasons God acts the way he does in other people’s lives. We are only called to love others. God takes care of them and He will take care of us. I get so easily frustrated these days. My hot head needs to relax. Yet, as hard as I try to talk myself out of my bad attitude, I find true peace and joy in God’s word alone. His voice in my ear and in my heart. Reminding me I am His. I am his joy, his delight, his purpose. That is the only source of true calm I know.
He has a unique plan for each of us. I just have to remember that it is unique and valid in that it is God’s will. I must remember to take the rock around the mountain. Meaning, to do God’s will despite what man calls out to me. I’m so easily distracted. Focus, Rachel, focus on the goal at hand. To be a light of Jesus’ love to everyone I meet. Doing this in the unique way my God has set for me. He plans my course. My Jesus, my Savior, my delight. That is where true joy lies.
Remember in the Chronicles of Narnia when Aslan (the Christ character) tells one of the children that he will only reveal that child’s purpose to him? The child (I can’t remember which one, let’s say Lucy) wants to know what happened to someone else. But Aslan won’t tell her. Because that is not her story. It is not for us to know the why or reasons God acts the way he does in other people’s lives. We are only called to love others. God takes care of them and He will take care of us. I get so easily frustrated these days. My hot head needs to relax. Yet, as hard as I try to talk myself out of my bad attitude, I find true peace and joy in God’s word alone. His voice in my ear and in my heart. Reminding me I am His. I am his joy, his delight, his purpose. That is the only source of true calm I know.
He has a unique plan for each of us. I just have to remember that it is unique and valid in that it is God’s will. I must remember to take the rock around the mountain. Meaning, to do God’s will despite what man calls out to me. I’m so easily distracted. Focus, Rachel, focus on the goal at hand. To be a light of Jesus’ love to everyone I meet. Doing this in the unique way my God has set for me. He plans my course. My Jesus, my Savior, my delight. That is where true joy lies.
Amen.
There isn't a more enthusiastic pup on the planet than Bonnie, and you've captured her joie de vivre perfectly.
ReplyDeleteTo see her sweet little face with a smile that lights up like that, running to her two favorite people in the whole world - that's the definition of happiness for all of you.
What a delight, thanks for the great picture!