So much has happened in the world over the last few years, financial collapses, a worldwide pandemic, and wars. It seems never-ending at times.
It's nothing new unfortunately, and people over time have had to endure countless and extremely hard and very difficult seasons, and somehow move on and overcome. It’s a broken world with broken people and so now more than ever we need to hold onto the promises of God. He is a GOD who cannot lie and HIS promises are forever, and even though He never said he would remove hardships, disappointment, heartache, and pain, HE did promise to be there with us and help us through them!
20 ... and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Remember even though the disciples had Jesus IN the boat, they still went through the storm!
We are resilient. It's somehow built into us as humans. We survive and we find a way. But we cannot do it on our own, we were never meant to just survive but God's desire for us is to thrive!
How do we find Joy in all this brokenness? How do we remain in His Joy in all seasons, in all of the ups and downs of life?
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.
My favourite scripture (not really 😊). I think this scripture is hugely challenging for many of us as we don't like pain or trials. I certainly don’t, but some of my biggest victories have come through facing trials and pain! It’s never easy, but it builds God's character in us, and we grow in our faith!
10 ...the Joy of Lord is your strength.
If we are going to get through tough times, and believe me there will be many (not my words, it's in your Bible 😀) then the only way that we get through them is by getting strength from knowing the Joy of our Lord!
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.'
It's an incredible scripture. Can you imagine: FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE JESUS, HE ENDURED UNIMAGINABLE AGONY AND PAIN. WHY? BECAUSE THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM WAS YOU!!
Jesus endured the cross because the JOY it would bring in reconciling us back to covenant and relationship to the Father!! Amazing, thank you JESUS! Jesus is the joy of our salvation.
My encouragement for all of us moving forward is to become mature believers, strong and resistant, and not to allow circumstances, disappointment, hurt, or our emotions to lead us, but to do the same as Jesus did when He faced the cross. YOU were His JOY that got him to drink the cup of suffering, and now we, as believers can look at HIM knowing He is our forever JOY. He is coming back as He promised, to rule as King and that’s why this JOY gives us strength to get through the pain and difficult moments and to carry our own individual cross!
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
There might be challenging times that lie ahead until Jesus does return, but we stand, we keep our eyes fixed on Him, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega, and the author and finisher of our FAITH!
6 Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. 7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. 8 The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. 9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.