January 4, 2022 – Tuesday
Joy in Suffering
Yesterday morning, as I was writing about gratitude and joy, I heard the pitter patter of footsteps upstairs – a natural timer that tells me it is time to shift gears. I greeted my children with smiles and prepared to start our day. Over a yummy breakfast of Baked Pancakes, we resumed our Armor of God study. As part of the study, the children had to look up various verses in the Bible. I was helping my youngest find Ephesians, as he quickly paged backwards through the four chapters of Philippians. The bold titles of Philippians flashed before my eyes: JOY IN GIVING, JOY IN BELIEVING, JOY IN SERVING, JOY IN SUFFERING. I wanted to pause there, God had just given me the blue prints to joy! Yes – there is joy in gratitude. But here were four other layers the Lord was highlighting (all because we were in the Word)!! But my son was moving on to Ephesians full steam ahead. Philippians would have to wait.
I am finally able to open my Bible and get back to the blueprints the Lord laid before me yesterday. This comes at a good time. Today I am going back in for a follow up mammogram and ultrasound (Joy in Revival). Anxiety has been shouting at me since I first got my results on Friday, December 31st. Thank goodness I was knee deep in painting and covered from head to toe in the color of revival! I had a choice over the past 4 days. Was I going to choose joy or was I going to let worry consume me? The quote from Corrie Ten Boom has been booming in my mind…
“Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” ― Corrie Ten Boom
Today was coming no matter the path I traveled. All roads were leading to Tuesday. The choice I had to make was which path I would take. Would I take the scenic road with a heavenly perspective full joy, or choose the valley of the shadow of death ridden with weeds of worry and fear? The latter is a familiar well-worn path with deep ruts from many years of travel. My mind knows that path well and is comfortable with the familiar scenery. Over the past decade I have been working diligently to pave new paths. They are slowly forming ruts as well. The old road of worry is no longer well maintained due to lack of travel. There are now obstacles in the way. Trees have fallen across the path. Mud slides have filled in the ruts. New grass is growing making the path obscure. I can still choose that path if I want. Fortunately I don’t want to. For years I didn’t even know there were other paths available. But I have seen those paths and they are beautiful. They are indeed less traveled. It is always the road less traveled that makes the difference.
As I embarked on the four day wait to today… I literally had to refuse to travel down the path of worry. I would shout NO! I refuse to travel down this road. I will take the path less traveled! I will choose joy! Worrying about tomorrow today will do me no good. This is easier said than done. But it is said. It is said time and time again in the Bible. We are called to cast our worries on Jesus (1 Pet 5:7), to refuse to worry about tomorrow (Matt 6:34), to be joyful always and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:16-18). This is just the tip of the ice burg.
7 Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you. 8 Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. 9 Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure. 10 And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in his eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, he will set you firmly in place and build you up. 11 And he has all the power needed to do this—forever! (1 Peter 5:7-11, TPT)
34 Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.” (Matt 6:34, TPT)
16 Let joy be your continual feast. 17 Make your life a prayer. 18 And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:16-18, TPT)
God has given me the blueprints of joy in the four chapters of Philippians. This is the road less traveled. Today's path... joy in suffering.
Joy in Suffering:
We discover happiness when times are easy. We discover true joy in Jesus.
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he is writing from prison as he awaits trial. He is teaching about joy while he is in prison. Perhaps he was preaching to himself what he knew to be true, but needed a reminder of. Perhaps that is what I too am doing today.
Here is what I know to be true:
The enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy. Jesus came to give us life in abundance (John 10:10).
10 A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow! (John 10:10, TPT)
I am a daughter of the King (2 Cor 6:18).
I will be a true Father to you, and you will be my beloved sons and daughters,” says the Lord Yahweh Almighty. (2 Cor 6:18, TPT)
By His stripes I am healed (Isa 53:5).
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:5, KJV)
No weapons formed against me will prosper (Isa 54:17).
But I promise you, no weapon meant to hurt you will succeed, and you will refute every accusing word spoken against you. This promise is the inheritance of Yahweh’s servants, and their vindication is from me,” says Yahweh. (Isa 54:17, TPT)
When I stand firm on God’s promises and trust Him with the details, I can be unshakable (Matt 7:24-25).
24 “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. 25 When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation. (Matt 7:24-25, TPT)
As I journey through the waiting, I choose to take this opportunity to experience the greatest joy that I can. If I can tap into the endless fountain of abundant joy in the trial… finding it in the day-to-day will become second nature. I feel like the Lord is saying this isn’t about the destination, but the journey. How I journey through this matters. Over the next days – my goal is to experience the abundant joy of Jesus.
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! 3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance. 4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking. (James 1:2-4, TPT)