Advent 2022 – Day 16
Monday, December 12th
God’s Got This
By Marilyn Steinle / Season of life: Retired, Wife, Mother, Grandmother
Scripture
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not
put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ~ Romans 5:3-5
Years ago, while attending one of the first of many Women’s Bible Studies, our topic was “Consider it pure joy.” Looking back, I certainly remember how difficult it was for me to accept this biblical guidance. How could I take any of the hardships I had lived through and consider them “pure joy”? I had much to learn about the difference between a worldly view and a biblical view of the word “JOY”!
Worldly joy only shows up when things are going great. It vanishes
when troubling times come. In the Bible, the fruits of the Spirit are gifts from God, and one of them is joy. Joy has to do with a solid relationship with God through His amazing grace. God’s joy is present in the good times and the tough times.
As I came to a deeper understanding of this, I realized joy was possible to choose even when difficult things, tragic events, or hurtful times came my way. I could still feel anxious, or frightened, but knowing Jesus was with me, would help me endure, and would work all things for the good (over time), has now taught me to accept and rely on God’s promises. This has resulted in the joy of the Lord. In Chuck Swindoll’s book, Hand Me Another Brick, he says, “God finds delight when his people are joyful.”
Joyfulness can also be found in unexpected ways. I experienced
unforeseen joy when I received a scripture from my brother in his darkest hours with ALS. He sent me the scripture I began this devotion with: Romans 5:3-5. When I received this from him, I actually smiled, even as my tears flowed. My heart was filled with joy, because I knew my brother had found strength in God’s Word and was sharing it with me.
I have found that sharing joy with others, whether your heart is happy or heartbroken, can be started with a smile that says, “God’s got this!”
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much that you bring
us comfort and joy! Amen
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Reflections
How would you define the difference between happiness and “pure joy”?
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When is a time you have found joy in the midst of unhappy circumstances?
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In what difficult situation can you remind yourself that “God’s Got This”? Remind yourself of that truth today!
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Lord God, may I “repeat the sounding joy” of who You are today!