Day 29 - Deep Abiding Joy

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Abundant Life

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Day 29 - Deep Abiding Joy

"You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message 
in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."
1 Thessalonians 1:6 

Today's post is going to brief and to the point.  Well at least that's my hope!  

I've herd some Christians say that God wants me to be happy.  I've looked that up in Scripture and I just don't see it anywhere.  At least not the way we define happy.  Happy is a feeling based on circumstances: if things are going my way and I get what I want I'm happy.  The opposite is true too: I'm not happy when things are not going my way and I don't get what I want.  Joy on the other hand is not based on my circumstances but rather for the Christian it is based on our relationship with Christ.  We have a deep abiding joy despite circumstances because we are a child of God's.  Read that verse above again.  It says the Thessalonians "welcomed the word in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."   

Even in the midst of suffering (whether it's persecution for our faith or a trial) we can experience a deep abiding joy.  I'm not talking about the put on a fake smile and pretend everything is o.k. when it's not kind of thing.  I'm talking about a deep abiding joy that is there always even in the midst of great sorrow and pain.  It's the kind of joy that keeps you from sinking into utter despair even though everyone around you would completely understand if you did.  It makes it so one minute you may be crying and the next praising and thanking God for His salvation.  It's the kind of joy that comes from a surrendered heart!  It's the kind of joy that comes from knowing this is not your home and you are merely passing through.  It's the kind of joy that comes from looking forward to being home someday where there are no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain.  And it's the kind of joy that comes from passionately serving and loving Christ with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul, while you remain here!

Dear Beloved in Christ,  Today my prayer for you is found in Romans:

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

 Amen