Joy Despite Our Circumstances
I hate to bring it up but 2020 was anything but joyful, at least after mid-March. See, here in Nevada that’s when things got serious. Remember, “two weeks to slow the spread.” Approximately 65 weeks later, on June 1 the Governor allows places of business to open up to 100% capacity. Yay! A reason to have some joy again.
Maybe, like me, your joy died over the past year. Maybe you felt misery, depression, or despondency. Maybe all of these things to one degree or another. Maybe you’ve felt like you were being tested and you wanted to give up. Sister, I’m here to tell you there is a better way!
James 1:2 ESV says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James tells us to be joyful when we face these trials. He is encouraging us to revive our joy! To give life and energy to our joy - to revive it from the death it could suffer when are facing difficult times.
How do I suggest that you do this?
1 - Remember whatever we face on this earth is nothing compared to the joy that we will experience when we
see our Savior face to face.
2 - If the day is especially hard and joyless remember that joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5)
3 - Just as James says, these trials produce steadfastness which leads to perfection - this process contributes to our maturity and helps us to become more like Christ. The more like Christ we become, the more joy we can have when we face these trials.
See, as Christians, we can be joyful despite our circumstances. We can remember these truths:
We can have joy because we have a relationship with the One who makes all things perfect, as James says.
We are provided for by the Creator of the cosmos (Matthew 6:26).
We are not given a spirit of fear, we are given a spirit of power, love and sound mind (1 Timothy 1:7).
Our citizenship is elsewhere (Philippians 3:20).
He is always with us (Joshua 1:9).
We are loved by the Almighty and have eternal life because of the love He has for us (John 3:16).
These are all reasons to be joyful. When things aren’t going the way we’d like them to, we can remember these truths.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV says
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
Habakkuk was a prophet during a difficult time in the Israelites history. The kings that had been in rule were evil and the nation was corrupt spiritually and morally. They were worshiping other gods and offering their children as sacrifices. The above verses are a prayer. Habakkuk is praying to God and committing to rejoice in Him even though there is no food. Even in their dire circumstance Habakkuk is choosing joy. He is relying on God for strength, reminding himself that God is ruler overall and rejoicing.
Friends, can we do the same? Can we rejoice when times get tough? The bottom line is that we will have trials in this life. No matter what we face; pandemics or hatred and division. Squabbling kiddos or demanding bosses. We have Jesus and He can get us through anything and that is a reason to rejoice.
Elizabeth is originally from Upstate New York and relocated to Las Vegas in the spring of 2011 to enjoy the sunshine and . She has been married to her hubby for more than more than 15 years and they have two rescue dogs, Aria and Durango.
Elizabeth is the owner of New Life Counseling where she works one on one with individuals who have survived traumatic experiences, suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. While Elizabeth loves seeing the change and healing that happens through one on one sessions with her clients, she felt the call to expand her business. In the spring of 2021 she founded The Stress Less Academy. Elizabeth has a passion to help overwhelmed and stressed Christian women manage their stress from a Biblical perspective. She educates women on how to set boundaries, manage their stress, and live the life the Lord has called them to live. You can read more of her writings at www.thestresslessacademy.net Elizabeth also hosts The Stress Less Community Group on Facebook where there is a community of women banding together to live a Stress Less Life, you can join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/303089754306655