Week Three - When Joy is Gone

What kills your joy? Trials, disappointments, fear of the future, debt, poor health? So many things come in life to challenge our joy and, sometimes, even kill it. But when joy is gone, we still have hope of its return. Why? Because joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and therefore, as we draw closer to the Spirit, He renews our joy despite our circumstances.

For my Bible reading, I read one chapter daily, and after I read, I create my own devotional commentary. Deuteronomy 12 was my reading the other day, and I noticed the word "rejoice" repeated. The children of Israel were to rejoice in all they put their hands to (vs. 7, 18) and rejoice before the Lord with their family and household (vs 12, 18). This rejoicing was based on their recognition of God's provision and directly linked to their obedience as they kept themselves away from the influences of the ungodly societies in Canaan land.

Innocence and purity hold great joy. When we experience the presence of evil, see it, read it, and participate in it, joy departs. Keeping ourselves unspotted by the world, according to James 1:27, is evidence of purity. So, if your joy is waning, this might be a good place to look first. Do you need to clean up your act and observe to do what God commands? Remember, the blessing is on the other side of obedience.

As I studied on that day, I came to another truth about joy. Trials do not inhibit joy because God's children know to run home when the storm comes. Poor old Job faced much affliction, but his prayer was not "Oh, that I might be healed, or even, O, that I might have my children and property restored. Job's cry was, "Oh, that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!" (Job 23:3). It is the spiritual instinct of God's children to seek shelter beneath His wings. 

Spurgeon said, "A hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the infliction and like a slave, would run from the Master who has scourged him; but not so the true heir of heaven, he kisses the hand which struck him, and seeks shelter from the rod in the bosom of the God who frowned upon him."

That's where the joy comes from, from the God of all comfort, the God who sees and desires to bless.

Spurgeon continues, "Turning away with bitter scorn from earth's hives, where we find no honey, but many sharp stings, we rejoice in Him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. In every trouble, we should first seek to realize God's presence with us. Only let's enjoy His smile, and we can bear our daily cross with a willing and joyful heart for His dear sake. Nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the Creator as when we learn the emptiness of all besides.

So, when joy seems gone, examine your obedience and then run to your Saviour, the One who restores the joy of your salvation!

Week Two - World Shakers

Many people on social media, in the news, governments, and elsewhere are noticed as world shakers. And truly, some of them hold the potential to shake things up. On the other hand, we have less visible influence, but without us, without our underpinning, those folks would be nothing—they'd have no followers to impress!

Does that mean we have no voice, no responsibility, no influence? Hardly. What we do with our lives matters. There are qualities we need to emulate that will shake our world, qualities that create a better place to live and increase our effectiveness for Christ.

The first quality we need is courage. Stepping out by faith in the face of rejection takes courage. No one wants to be rejected or overlooked, and sometimes our paths are full of opposition, but the strong Christian takes heart. As they rejected Christ, so they will reject us. Let that not matter at all. Let our heart's desire be faithfulness, and courage will rise. 

We need unwavering trust in Christ. Paul said, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24). He wouldn't be deterred from trusting the Lord. He desires to be strong in faith, nothing wavering. "For the Lord Jehovah will help me; therefore have I not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame" (Isaiah 50:7).

We need a clean slate, no hidden sin. Our words and meditations must be pure; our actions and motivations sincere. Our lives must be upright to make a world-shaking difference for Christ.

The world shaker has complete confidence in the battle, knowing God is able and counts on God in advance. When you know you are where God wants you to be and doing what God has ordained for you to do, you can rest your confidence in Him. He promised to work on your behalf.

Another quality of a world shaker is contentment. You are content that you have the right message, the truth of God, and you rest there. Your life choices indicate contentment, and as you study and apply God's Word, you find even a deeper source of contentment.

Have you met anyone with these qualities? Do you marvel at them? Do they shake your perceptions? They should. 

You don't have to be on the public stage to be a world shaker. Your home and workplace are your platform. From there, you make a difference. And the more of us that set our hearts to this task, the greater the influence overall. 

Have courage, unwavering trust, purity, confidence, and contentment in the Lord, and He can use you to be a world-shaker in your realm.