Mary’s Joy

As we approach Christmas day while focusing on the four weeks of advent, we review one specific word to focus on each week. This week is joy. As we look at Mary, we see the perfect attitude to achieve the joy we desire.

As Mary listened to the proclamation of Gabriel, she submitted to God’s will. In fact, she is remembered along with the most faithful servants of God throughout history. She was a good example and a foreshadowing of Jesus submitting to God’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Though Mary used different words to express her submission to God’s will, she nonetheless submitted in the same way Jesus would submit on the night before going to the cross. How do we know her submission brought her joy? Mary tells us herself.

If we continue reading in Luke just a few verses further, we find Mary’s song which proclaims God’s glory and her rejoicing in God. That is real joy that can only come from God and from submitting to Him. Mary experienced the glorious joy only God can give.

We, too, can experience this type of joy. If we submit as Mary and Jesus submitted, we experience joy that is beyond understanding. When we submit to God, He blesses us with inexpressible joy. We cannot fabricate this joy, nor can we fool God with false submission. It must be from deep within our heart and with our whole heart.

Mary was not only a perfect example for her son but is a perfect example for us today. Her willingness to be a servant of God and be part of His plan continues to be a shining example for all to follow. Mary carried this joy with her all the days of her life.

I pray we all follow Mary’s example of submission. I pray we experience the joy Mary experienced. I pray each one of us submit to God and experience the joy that only comes from Him. Submit to God’s will. Be willing to serve in His plan. Trust God to guide you. Experience the joy that only comes from God.

Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Inexpressible Joy

Do you know how to acquire joy in your life? Do you understand where it comes from? Is your joy inexpressible? Is it a glorious joy you cannot explain? Have you thought about your faith? Have you thought about your salvation?

Joy can be inexpressible, meaning we cannot explain it when asked what it is. Perhaps someone has asked you why you always seem to be upbeat, even when it appears everything is going against you. Perhaps you attribute it to being naturally positive.

However, when our joy comes from our faith in Jesus Christ, it is not simply a positive attitude, whether it comes natural or not. Our faith and trust in Jesus, along with allowing Him to take control of our lives, brings a joy we cannot explain. He gifts us with His Spirit and fills us to the point of overflowing.

We can also point to the knowledge we are guaranteed salvation. When we fully grasp what that means, this world no longer has a hold on us. So, when everything goes against us, when we are in the midst of experiencing troubling situations, our joy remains. Growing in our knowledge of God, what Jesus has done for us, and the promises He has made to each of us increases our joy.

Knowledge, understanding, and trust increase our faith. As our faith increases, we desire to know God more. The more we get to know Him, the more our faith grows. As our faith grows, so our joy increases, to the point of being glorious. It becomes inexpressible, but no longer unexplainable.

I pray we all experience the inexpressible joy of Christ. I pray we pursue our knowledge and understanding of God. I pray each one of us grow in our faith, thereby growing in our joy. Trust God. Increase your faith. Experience inexpressible joy. Explain it as coming from Christ.

1 Peter 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Joy in Trials

Have you ever considered it to be a joy to face trials? Have you thought about the good that can come from facing challenges? Can you see the good God is working in your life as you persevere through trials and challenges?

We may not mind facing challenges. In fact, many of us will purposely seek out challenges in our lives. We are driven by a good challenge, especially when it is related to our personal interests—when it helps us achieve a goal.

But we don’t typically care for trials. Trials are challenges not related to our interests nor our goals. Often, they are hurdles we must cross or mountains we must climb. They can be obstacles to our goals. They may come about as a result of choices we’ve made. They may be a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet they are to be considered a joy.

James tells us to consider trials a joy. They test our faith, which produces perseverance. Perseverance is one of those traits we want to have, but don’t want to go through trials to achieve. Unfortunately, perseverance doesn’t come about without being tested nor without training ourselves to persevere. Perhaps that is why James says perseverance helps us mature.

Maturity is a goal many of us have and all of us should have. Maturity comes through experiences, many of which are trials and challenges. It is by overcoming trials that we mature in our thinking. It is by learning to do without that we appreciate what we have. It is by having to think through a problem to discern a solution that we achieve maturity. And James tells us as we mature, we lack nothing.

So, we are to consider it joy to face trials, knowing what those trials will produce in our lives. Our joy comes from foreseeing the result of the trial. Knowing the result of the trial can help us persevere through it.

I pray we all consider it joy to face trials. I pray we go through tests of our faith. I pray each of us hold onto our faith as we go through trials and grow in our maturity. Consider trials a joy. Hold onto your faith. Persevere through trials. Become mature. Lack nothing. Trust God.

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Joy from Peace

The pursuit of joy can appear to be like trying to grasp a handful of jello. Holding onto it can be like trying to keep shampoo from running through your fingers. The joy we achieve solely on our own is slippery and often temporary.

As we have discussed over the last few days, true joy comes from God. It is something we must seek from Him and cooperate with Him to achieve. As we follow God’s commands, trust Him, and turn over our troubles to Him, we achieve the true joy we seek.

As we see in today’s passage, promoting peace brings joy. We may see and hear numerous people in our lives and on the evening news talking about peace. But promoting peace is more than simply talking about it.

Think about promoting a product. One means of promoting it is through marketing. You advertise it, telling others the purpose of the product. You tell them of the wonderful things it can do or how it can make their lives better. You also demonstrate the use of the product, showing how it has a positive impact. You may get real-life users of the product to witness to the positive effect it has made on their lives. Finally, you may allow people a free trial to entice them into giving it an opportunity to prove itself. In other words, you use multiple avenues of approach to promote your product.

Peace must be promoted in the same way. It is not that we are trying to sell peace to others as much as it is selling it to ourselves. We must achieve peace for ourselves before we can promote it to others. Once we have achieved, at least a reasonable amount of peace within, we can promote peace to others. Our peace begins with two very basic ingredients—trusting God and loving ourselves.

I pray we all seek the true joy that comes from God. I pray we promote peace both within and without. I pray each one of us learn to trust God and love ourselves in our pursuit of peace and joy. Seek the peace of Christ. Seek true joy. Promote peace in your life. Demonstrate the peace you have. Show your joy through peace. Trust God. Love yourself. Love others.

Proverbs 12:20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.

Joy Through Suffering

Are you currently suffering? Are you being persecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ? Are you grieving from a recent loss of a friend or loved one? Are you facing challenges and troubling decisions in your life?

Suffering is part of life. We experience loss in varying ways. The past couple of years have been tough on many of us. Some have lost loved ones. Some have lost friends. Some have lost co-workers. Some have lost jobs. Joy can seem to be out of reach.

Those who have not suffered loss may have experienced persecution for their faith. It may be as simple as a sarcastic comment that stings. It may be through a friend or loved one refusing to hang out with them because they don’t want to be with anyone who is “superstitious” and believes in an unseen God. It may even be physical beatings due to their faith.

Facing tough decisions can be challenging and take away our joy if we allow it. Making a choice to change jobs, choose a university, leave a relationship, start a relationship, make a large purchase, and any number of other significant decisions can cause stress, anxiety, and cause us to fret and worry.

In today’s passage, Paul commends the members of the Thessalonica church for their joy in the Holy Spirit despite experiencing severe suffering. We do not know the exact suffering the people were going through, but we can rest assured they were severe, or Paul would not have called them severe. Yet, through these sufferings, the people continued in their joy. Notice it comes from the Holy Spirit, meaning they relied and trusted on God, and He filled them with the Spirit. We, too, can experience joy through our sufferings, whatever they may be.

I pray we all trust God to fill us with the joy of the Spirit. I pray we reach out to God during our own sufferings. I pray each one of us experience the joy that only comes from God. Trust God. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Experience the joy of the Spirit. Give God the glory for His blessings.

1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 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. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

Joy in Love

Joy is a permanent condition. We can have joy even in the midst of great sorrow. The source of our joy is Jesus. He has given us His teachings, some of the miracles He performed, and sacrificed for us for that purpose.

Jesus states in today’s passage that He told His disciples (and us) all that He has taught them to make their joy complete. He told them of the Father’s love for Him, and His love for them, just before this statement and continues speaking of love following it.

The love of Christ and our love for one another completes our joy. Doesn’t that make perfect sense? As we experience His love, we feel at peace. We take comfort in the love God has for us. The closer we get to God, the more we experience His love for us.

Getting closer to God is a key contributor to experiencing a true and lasting joy. It is a cycle that feeds on itself. We grow closer to God and our joy increases; our joy increases and we seek to grow closer to God. As the cycle continues, we rise above the worries of this world. No, we won’t completely leave all worries behind in this world, but they will become less stressful on us as our joy increases.

Doesn’t it also make sense that as our joy increases, we show love toward others? As we experience the love of God, we desire to show that love to others. We show it through actions, such as giving someone a hug when they need it, serving meals to those in need, providing clothes for those less fortunate, or simply listening to someone who needs to unload their troubles. Those are acts of love and care that well up from the joy we have inside us—joy that comes from the love of Christ.

I pray we all experience the love of God. I pray we increase our joy in the love of Christ. I pray each one of us shows the love of God to others because of the true joy we have within us. Experience God’s love. Experience true joy. Show God’s love that comes from your joy. Make your joy complete by coming closer to God.

John 15:11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Eternal Joy

Are you happy today? Is happiness a key contributor to your attitude? Do you experience joy in your life? Do you think of joy and happiness as being the same? What is the source of your joy? Have you spent time thinking about it?

Most people in this world desire to experience happiness in their life. Our constitution even states people have the right to pursue happiness. Yet happiness can be fleeting. It often depends on our current situation.

The joy spoken of by Jesus is not fleeting. It is a deep joy. One that, though dependent on our situation, is not something that can be taken from us. The true joy He speaks of is the joy of knowing our names are written in the book of life. We live in the joy of knowing this life is temporary and our eternal life spent with Him is permanent.

Perhaps we can look at this way. I work out three times per week. While doing those stretches, crunches, pushups, and running, I experience some aches and pains. I don’t always want to experience the pain. Yet, I can be joyful about going through it knowing the long-term health effect of it. Our lives are much the same. There will be periods of disappointment, frustration, and even trouble. But we can still live in the joy of knowing it is temporary and we have an eternal reward.

Even in the happiest moments of our lives, Jesus says we should not go overboard. Yes, we can celebrate, but we should celebrate with the knowledge that our names are written in heaven. Our celebration should include the knowledge that we will spend eternity with God. Our joy is a true joy when we are confident in God’s promises and fully realize we are His.

I pray we all experience the true joy of Christ. I pray we celebrate with the joy of God in our heart. I pray each one of us rejoice that our names are written in the book of life. Seek true joy. Be confident your name is written in heaven. Always hold on to your joy. Experience the joy only Christ can give you.

Luke 10:17-20 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Peaceful Living

How often do you pray? What or who are you praying for? Do you pray for others? Do you pray for those you are not especially fond of? Do you pray for leaders at all levels of organizations and government?

Many of us pray for our needs. We likely also pray for the needs of our loved ones. We may even pray for people we know through work or social relationships. Few of us pray on a regular basis for our leaders, whether in the organizations we work for or the many levels of government.

Yet, as we see in today’s passage, by praying for all people we live in peace. Notice it does not say there will peace in the world. It does not state everything will be wonderful. It doesn’t even say we will get our way when it comes to having the leaders we desire. It says we pray so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives.

When we pray for the elected leaders of our city, county, state, and national governments, we can live at peace knowing we have given it over to God. It is no longer our responsibility to change things. It is no longer in our hands, but God’s. However, along with praying for those people, we must trust God to handle it. If we do not trust God, we will not experience the peace promised to us.

I pray we all pray for our leaders. I pray we trust God to handle things once we have prayed. I pray each of us live peaceful and quiet lives because we have turned it all over to God. Pray for all people. Pray for loved ones. Pray for those you are not fond of. Pray for leaders. Trust God. Experience God’s peace. Live peacefully.

1 Timothy 2: 1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Peace Through Love

Yesterday, we covered some peace principles. Today, we continue that discussion as Paul provides those same principles in simpler terms. As he is writing to the church in Colossae, he gives them (and us) a rapid-fire lesson on how to live as Christians.

In Colossians 3:1-17, Paul rattles off a series of reasons for us to be thankful and to pursue peace. First and foremost, we have been raised in Christ. For Paul, this was reason enough to celebrate. He knew very well the promise that came with being in Christ.

He quickly transitions to writing a list of earthly behaviors and attitudes we are to reject, turn away from. It is an extensive list and one we cannot turn away from on our own. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and constantly remember we are raised in Christ.

Paul then lists the fruits of the Spirit, though slightly altered from his listing in Galatians 5:22-23. We are to forgive one another. Forgiving someone else frees us far more than it frees the other person. We are not holding the other person as prisoner; we are only holding ourselves prisoner when we don’t forgive.

All our actions, behavior, and work is to be done in love. Love brings it all together. Love is our motivation, driving force, and reason for becoming more like Jesus. Love is the genesis for pursuing peace and thankfulness. Love will bring about unity; a unity in Christ we sorely need to overcome the evil in this world.

I pray we all remember we are raised in Christ. I pray we allow the Holy Spirit to bring about change of attitude and behavior in our lives. I pray each one of us pursues peace through love for one another. Remember you are in Christ. Seek to change your attitude. Seek to change your behavior. Allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in you. Do all things in love. You are called to peace in Christ.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Peace Principles

Are you a checklist type of person? Ever wonder what you need to do to achieve peace? Would you like to have a list of things you can do to realize peace in your life? Do you know there are principles and practices you can use to acquire peace?

Some of us are checklist people. We make lists of tasks and check them off as we complete them. We develop step-by-step processes and follow them religiously. We may even organize our lists so we can complete them in the most efficient manner.

Paul put together a list of principles or practices we can follow to realize peace in our lives. They are not always easy. In fact, they can be quite challenging to adhere to in some situations. Take a look at the list he provides in today’s passage. The list holds us to a high standard. It requires us to take a hard look at our own lives, giving up our selfishness, biases, and personal desires.

We cannot achieve the standard Paul lays out for us on our own. We need someone we can trust to hold us accountable, even if it is simply someone we don’t want to let down. Who is the best person to hold us accountable? Why not the only One who lived perfectly? Yes, Jesus. He can both help us change our lives and hold us accountable so we can live up to the high standard. Jesus can bring us peace. He sent a Helper to us—the Holy Spirit. Peace comes to us as we accept Jesus into our lives and follow Him. Paul simply puts together a list He recognized as He followed Jesus himself.

I pray we all hold ourselves to a higher standard. I pray we accept Jesus into our lives as our Counselor. I pray each one of us strives for the inner peace we desire. Follow the principles and practices Paul documented. Accept Jesus into your life. Follow Him. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit. Seek peace. Experience the peace of Christ.

Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.