JOY

There are so many tips in the world about finding joy; motivational speakers advice us to put ourselves and happiness first before everything, bankers advice us to invest as much as we can to enjoy life in the later stages of adulthood, and even our doctors advice us to put our health first. The steps that I have for you today are found in the book of Romans 12:12-“be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” We’ve all been through a lot of despair and sorrow at some time in our lives, and we all know this road is not always easy to travel with the hope that joy is ahead of it all. But these three steps are meant to help us get out of our despair- to find joy in the Lord when our cares are too heavy for us.
John 16: 20-“You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” Jesus knew that life on this earth would not be easy; that at times is would be difficult and discouraging to continue in this walk. He knew that we would make bad choices, suffer illnesses, bare the brunt of broken relationships and even suffer for our faith in God. He knew from the beginning that we would at times grieve along the way. But in the midst of our pain and grieving, Jesus reminds us that one day our grief would turn into joy.
Take this truth with you; that His love for you will turn grief into joy. For when your heart is pained, the Lord is watching every tear that runs down your face. When you find yourself in difficult situations, and you will; don’t lose focus of the big picture- know that things are going to get better.
Patience in the Lord does not take away our problems; it only makes them bearable- and this is how our faith in the Lord grows.

Troubles come with a multitude of names- accidents, afflictions, bereavement, calamities, difficulties, disappointments, disasters, failures, hard times, hurts, miseries, misfortunes, ruin, sufferings, tragedies, trials, tribulations, or woes. They come, sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes after repeated warnings. Adversities may be temporarily discomforting or permanently disabling, even life- threatening or life- taking. Some adversities are merely higher hurdles over which we can climb with a little more effort, while others permanently wound us and we must find a way to triumph despite them.
Isaiah 43:2-3 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.”