Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

The Holy Spirit is encouraging me to focus on joyfully struggling.

In Today’s scripture, James 1:2-4 (NIV), we read…
[2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [4] Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Consider…
The idea of joyfully suffering seems super spiritual and unnatural, because it is. Notice Galatians 5:22 (NLT) says…
[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

I don’t think it’s an accident that joy is the second fruit produced by the Holy Spirit. That’s because after the foundation of God’s Love, the Joy of the is our strength that enables to…

• Know Peace
• Have Patience
• Be Kind
• Do Good
• Remain Faithful

Recognizing that pressed play on Maverick City singing…
I’m pulling on joy from Heaven’s reserve
He’s stored up enough for every winter I’m served
I’m seeing beyond my circumstance
This joy that I have is my Inheritance
Joy, this is the joy of the Lord

The joy, the joy
The joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy, oh, the joy
The joy of the Lord is my strength
Oh-oh-oh, He is my hope (yes, it is)
The joy, the joy
The joy of the Lord is my strength

This seemed like a good place to define joy, but I didn’t find a definition that aptly described it in my opinion. My wife helped me understand why I struggled to find a good description, it’s because Joy is an eternal hope of what’s to come, versus happiness, which is an earthly elation about what’s happening now.

We see this in Hebrews 12:2-4 (NLT)…
[2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. [3] Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. [4] After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Notice, Jesus endured the cross because of the joy awaiting him.

That’s why the Apostle Paul exhorts believers in Colossians 3:2 (KJV)…
[2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

It’s also why he encouraged us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)…
[16] That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. [17] For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! [18] So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Notice, our focus frames our struggle.

Paul testifies to this truth in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT)…
[9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. [10] That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Notice Paul says he takes pleasure in his struggle because it activates the strength of his Savior.

As I said wrote that, I remembered one definition I saw that’s pretty good, from theologyfortherestofus.com. It says…

The biblical definition of joy says that joy is a feeling of good pleasure and happiness that is dependent on who Jesus is rather than on who we are or what is happening around us. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit, abiding in God’s presence and from hope in His word.

That’s it, true joy focuses on who God is, and His promises. Indeed, joy looks forward and upward, rather than backwards and outwards like happiness.

Accordingly, when the Holy Spirit tells us to joyfully suffer, He’s telling us to look forward to what God has in store for us, rather than what’s happening to us in the moment.

Looking forward makes me think of 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT), which says…
[9] That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing, although we may not fully know or comprehend what God has prepared for us, we know it’s good, because He is!

Therefore, we can agree with Paul in Romans 8:18-19 (NLT)…
[18] Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. [19] For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

Find strength for your struggle by focusing on the joy of the Lord!

This makes me hear, and close with Tye Tribbett’s lyrics…

You were there to wrap your arms around me
When my nights were cold and lonely
And when I needed shelter from the rain
All I had to do was call your name
You never let me down you’re always there
You told me all my burdens you will bear
Never truly understand your ways
But I understand you love me and for this I want to say

You are my joy
You are my joy

It’s because if you I smile right in my storm
Your strength is perfect when I’m weak and worn
Thank you for the love you give to me
Thank you for your grace and mercy
When all of these trails should make me sad
I will rejoice for
You have made me glad

You are my joy You are my joy
You are my joy You are my joy
You are my joy You are my joy

Find joy in your struggle, counting on what God has in store for you!

Today’s song is…
Count It All Joy

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)