OVERFLOWING JOY
Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our
troubles my joyG5479 overflows.
2 Corinthians 7:4
The Apostle Paul, who had once persecuted Christians thinking he was righteous in doing so and had stood as an approving witness to the stoning of Stephen, now had faced persecution as a believer himself. In his journeys as a missionary to proclaim Christ, he had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and left for dead (see 2 Corinthians 11:16-33). However, he was still affirming the abundant joy that radiated from his heart due to his relationship with Jesus.
We are joyful that we have the opportunity to touch others’ lives because of the intimate touch of Jesus in our lives. Are we happy at every moment? NO! Transparency and authenticity is difficult as we share our experiences, but it is not our story: it is HIS story being lived out through us. Therefore, we have no right to hold back the truth. We surrendered our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, so now our lives are His to live through us, His to guide, and His story to tell. Susan still has limited use of her hands, sleep apnea, and phantom pain, just to name a few challenges and at this writing is still “bed-found” most of the time. Susie is still recovering from major back surgery, has asthma, and has osteo-arthritis in most of her joints. We are not continuously “happy” because “happiness” depends upon circumstances. However, the joy of intimacy with our Lord remains, the commission to bring others to Him is still our delight.
The Lord has a purpose for you as well. Pray that He will show you the abundance of joy that comes from fulfilling your calling in Christ. When you discover and live the assignment God has for you, the joy you experience will overflow to others.
Father, may our joy be infectious as we tell others about Jesus!
Worship with Wintley Phipps singing “Jesus, You’re the Center of My Joy”: