In our
Remember that old Sunday School song: I have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart! I have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart to stay! And I’m so happy, so very happy, I have the love of Jesus in my heart. And I’m so happy, so very happy, I have the love of Jesus in my heart!
I was reading in Philippians this morning. It’s pretty clear that there’s a stark difference between happiness and joy. You have to go no farther than the first chapter to see the first illustration of joy. The heading in my Bible on Chapter 1 says: “Joy in suffering.” That kind of hits you between the eyes. It’s easy to find joy in the Lord and for others to see it in you when things are going good. But Paul sets the example for us that it’s still possible to have that joy when things are going bad. He was in chains and in prison. Yet, because he chose to have joy, it says in verse 13 of chapter 1 that “it became clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone that he was in chains for Christ.” Paul showed that joy in his life overflowed when he put Spiritual matters first and set aside the physical matters. His purpose for living was to advance the Gospel, and he knew God was sovereign in all circumstances.
Verse 18 goes on to say Paul made a choice to rejoice! “Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” I don’t think it was something that was automatic. It was a conscious decision to wake up each morning and put his priorities in order. He wasn’t on ‘auto pilot’ with God. How is that possible? Verse 19 says ‘through your prayers’ and the ‘help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.’ I am so reminded that not only do I need to make this same choice every day to choose joy, but I need to enlist prayer partners and friends who will lift me up before Father. When I go on mission trips, I get a prayer team together. When I have a need in my life, I ask friends to pray. But I’m hit with the fact that I need a team of people praying for me every day so that I “conduct myself in a manner worth of the Gospel of Christ.” ---verse 27.
Right now, I’m plugging along with seemingly not a care in this world, compared to many of my friends who are struggling with grief, finances, broken families, and so much more. Things are good for me in just about every way. Joy is a relatively easy choice…right now. But I know there’s something right around the corner. My prayer today is that I will remember Paul’s example during the hard times that are to come. That I need to choose joy and that my focus will be not in the ‘immediate’ but on the ‘eternal.’
Will you pray for me and be on my team? That I remain an example of Christ at work and take advantage of every opportunity to tell people about Him? That I stay in His word and consistent in growing? That God change me from the inside out and mold me to be what He wants me to be?
From the Inside Out, by Hillsong
A thousand times I’ve failed
still your mercy remains.
And should I stumble again
I’m caught in your grace.
In my heart and my soul
Lord I give you control.
Consume me from the inside out.
Lord, let justice and praise
become my embrace
To love you from the inside out.
Your will above all else
my purpose remains.
The art of losing myself
in bringing You praise.
Everlasting!
Your light will shine when all else fades!
Never ending!
Your glory goes beyond all fame!
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring you praise
From the inside out,
Lord, my soul cries out.
From the inside out,
Lord, my soul cries out!
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com