“I Know”

By Lexi Cole Ellis

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.

Isaiah 43:1b (ESV)

A couple of years ago, I was leading my small group of three- to five-year-olds during Sunday School. In prayer, I ended with “We love you, God. Amen.” As the group rushed to the table for snacks, one of my buddies stayed on the carpet. “Miss Lexi,” he said, “I think when we tell God we love Him, He smiles at us and says, ‘I know.’”

What theology from a five-year-old! Because the reality is, we don’t pray to give God new information. He’s all-knowing, and it’s clear that He has a game plan in mind already.

It got me thinking. We often say things the hearer already knows. I tell my husband that I love him…I hope he already knows this and that my actions confirm it. Yet my words serve as a reminder that our relationship matters deeply. So it is with God. There is so much power in the relationship we have with Him: He knows, and yet He wants to hear from the heart of His beloved.

“God, this situation is really hard…I hate this road I have to walk down right now.”

My Friend, I know…I suffered unimaginable pain as well, and desired there could have been another way, too. Hang in there. There is power in the fact that Your Creator knows your hurt and pain.

“God, this relationship is struggling. I don’t know what to do.”

My Child, I know…I’ve been working at restoring my relationship with humanity since the beginning of time. I know rejection; I know heartache. I have been there, and I am with you always.

“God, I feel alone…abandoned. Where is your goodness?”

My Created, I know…I am with you in the valleys and in the joys. I have promised to never leave you nor forsake you. I have blessed you in ways that are known and in ways that are yet to be seen. Keep trusting me.

“God, I feel unloved. The guilt and shame is overwhelming, and I am sometimes shocked at my thoughts….”

My Redeemed, I know…and the great works of my Power  - - from the Old Testament to the Cross  - - reveal  that I believe you are worth pursuing. My sacrifice in your place not only saved you from your sin, but released you from guilt and shame. Join me in true freedom that comes in a relationship with me.

I’m thankful for the reminder from my five-year-old friend. We serve a God who smiles at us and says “I know.”

GOING FURTHER:

1.    What truths or promises come to mind that you know are true of God? Click on this list if you need some reminders.

FURTHER READING:

Zephaniah 3:17; Colossians 2:6-7

Lexi’s family consists of her, her husband, Andrew, her daughter, Sloane, and her dog, Calvin. She teaches sixth grade Reading and Writing and serves with Children’s Ministries.

It’s NOT business, IT’S Personal

By Elin Henderson

“To Timothy, a true son in the faith….”

1 Timothy 1:2a (NKJV, emphasis added)

I’ve been struck by the personal nature of Paul’s letters throughout the Epistles. He wasn’t just writing to the corporate church but he wrote to individuals, addressing their needs, their struggles, their highs, their lows. He knew people by name and was specific in his encouragements to them.

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick…Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brethren” (2 Timothy 4:19-21, emphasis added). These were Paul’s friends; this wasn’t a business letter and his ministry was not a business negotiation. It was a friendly letter with a few business points.

Discipleship is of a personal nature. Sometimes in ministry, I find myself forgetting this principle. I get stuck in the rut of what I have “to-do” each day. The list gets checked off and business gets done, but the personal side suffers.

It’s the one-on-one, the person-to-person “face-time” that makes the difference in people’s lives. Jesus blazed the path as the forerunner and Paul left a remarkable example, as well. Look through the New Testament and keep track of how many personal names and personal details are poured out in the words written.

Hey, I love a checklist as much as the next gal, but my prayer each day is that I will see beyond the list and the business that has to get done, to the personal side and the people behind it.

           

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1. What’s your business “to-do” list look like today? How can you look beyond it to the personal side of things?

2. Read through the Proverbs 31 woman’s life. How did she meld the personal and business in life?

FURTHER READING:

Proverbs 31:10-31; Philippians 1:8

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with Ethnos 360 in Mozambique, Africa.  Elin is mother to eighteen-year-old Callie and fifteen-year-old Elias.

Napkin Holder
By Peggy Kleckner

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
Psalm 51:1-2 (NIV)

Some time ago, I was in a church small group discussion. As we spoke, one woman shared that she felt like every time she made it through a particular situation, or addressed one bad habit, she noticed a new one sprang up. As she related that, she said it was like a spring-loaded napkin holder. You pull out one and the next one moves forward! Sort of like that “layers of an onion” picture, except this one really tickled our funny bones! After that, our “inside joke” picture of the napkin holder was brought up often and never ceased to make us chuckle.

As I was thinking on that picture later, a new thought came to mind. Perhaps we didn’t broaden the lens of our mental camera large enough. With the wide-angle lens on, we might see beyond just the napkin holder to the bigger picture of Christ mopping up the latest mess in our lives with that supply of napkins! Jesus dabbing the dirt off of us with those pure white napkins.

On our own, we cannot change. The Spirit of Jesus does the work in us. Each spill or mess reminds us that we truly are frail and in need of a Savior…and He is willing to wash away our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin. That is why He came for us.

So, when does that supply of napkins run out? I think He has a napkin holder filled with enough for each of our days here on earth. Spring-loaded napkin holders are usually on the table when we are out to eat, not at home. And certainly, Earth is not our ultimate home.

When the napkins run out, He is calling us home to His eternal banquet table!

GOING DEEPER:
1. What “mess” or “spill” in your life are you still trying to mop up on your own? Are you willing to surrender it to Him?
2. Have you pondered His unfailing love and His great compassion today?

FURTHER READING:
Isaiah 53:2-6, Acts 3:19 

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

Never Forget!

By Susan Klein

“Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.”

Job 8:11-13 (NIV)

My daughter is a Spanish teacher. She uses the language everyday in her classroom. She also tutors the son of a mutual friend who is struggling with the language in school. I stepped in to tutor for her once when she was unavailable. While I took four years of Spanish in high school, I was quite rusty with the language after so many years had passed with minimal usage. We managed to muddle through, but only because my daughter had done the work ahead of time for us. As is often said with foreign languages, “If you don’t use it, you lose it!”

The same is true for many things. You don’t play an instrument for years, it becomes difficult to pick up again. You don’t make a recipe for a long time, you forget some of the ingredients or steps. You pay someone else to change your tires, you might forget how to do it yourself.

Some things are okay to forget. Others are not. In the story of Job, his friends don’t always offer the best advice for his circumstances, but one thing they do get right. They admonish that we never “forget God.” We never forget all the things He has done in the past to teach us how to live in the present. We never forget all the promises He makes that inspire our eternal hope. We never forget to fill our minds with His written Word so we won’t “wither more quickly than grass” when the pressures of life beat down on us.

It’s natural for us to forget things, especially as we age. But we can choose to practice, we can choose to re-read, we can choose to commit to memory and we can choose to steep our minds in the things of eternal value. We can invest in preserving our hope!

As you journey through your day-to-day activities, challenges and hardships, choose to be mindful of not forgetting the One who created you, who has plans for you, who walks beside you, and who loves you immensely!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Are there some things about God you might be “forgetting”? What can you do to strengthen your memory?

2. Try keeping a journal, writing out Scripture, or engaging in a small group to help you retain and recall God’s Word more successfully.

FURTHER READING:

Deuteronomy 4:9, 32:7; Nehemiah 9:16-19; Ephesians 2:11-13

Susan is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.

Navigating the Waves

By Lexi Cole Ellis

“The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.”

Psalm 37:39 (ESV)

I had a childhood friend who was terrified of waves…ocean waves and the wave pool at the water resort. I couldn’t fathom it…to my fifth-grade mind, jumping over a wave as it simultaneously slid over and pushed you up was the absolute best. But for her, a scary experience of getting caught under a wave as a small child resulted in a deep fear of jumping over it at the exactly right time and an inability to enjoy the waves at all.

Sometimes waves come crashing over us unexpectedly. Sometimes, despite all the careful navigating we do, a situation hits and the waves we were easily coasting over now have become scary. All of a sudden, we are out of sync with our jumps and the water is billowing over us as panic and a sense of losing control takes over. A job loss…a conflict with a loved one…a health scare…the fear of an unknown outcome…the waves of unknown and fear start to drown us.  I love what Mark Hall and Steven Curtis Chapman write in the song, “Voice of Truth”: [1]

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win…" [2]

Thankfully, the story doesn’t have to end there. Thankfully, we serve a God who rescues us in His perfect timing from the actual waves AND additionally saves us from being paralyzed by the fear of waves. We don’t have to navigate through the waves on our own. As believers, we’ve been given His Spirit and His Word that remind us of the countless times God has been faithful in and through the storms. Additionally, we have community with other believers in God’s Church, a community which supports us through the waves and reminds us to cling to our God, actively pursuing a relationship with Him.

Years ago, my friend missed out on the wave pool because of her fear of the waves. May we be people who depend on God…so that when the waves come, rather than being paralyzed by fear and unknown, we navigate through them with the help of His Spirit, His Word and His community of believers. 

GOING DEEPER:

1. What do you need to do to depend on Christ to help you navigate the waves in your life?

2. Consider listening to the rest of the song, “Voice of Truth” as you start your day. (https://vimeo.com/7575212)

FURTHER READING:

Philippians 4:13; Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 4:18

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_Truth_%28song%29

[2] http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/castingcrowns/voiceoftruth.html

Lexi’s family consists of her, her husband, Andrew, her daughter, Sloane, and her dog, Calvin. She teaches sixth grade Reading and Writing and serves with Children’s Ministries.

Safe Harbor

By Tracy Smith

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1 (NLT)

Almost nine years ago, the town my sister’s family and my parents live in was hit by a tornado. My dad’s neighbor enjoys watching storms and told my dad he was watching the storm without fear until he saw the large pine trees in my dad’s yard bend and touch the ground then immediately bend and touch the ground on the opposite side! At that point, he knew it was time to get in the basement! No more time for watching, it was time to seek shelter. [1]

We all have those times in our life  - -  when we feel storm-tossed and know we need to find a safe harbor. The storms vary in intensity and strength, but all involve change and uncertainty and we need to find the calm in the storm.

Where do we go to seek shelter?

If you read Mark 4:35-41, the disciples and Jesus are caught in a storm while on a boat. The disciples are scared and afraid they are going to die. In their fear, they wake up Jesus and He commands the winds and waves to be still.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul shares that he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove a “thorn of his flesh.” Something that tormented him; something Paul really just wanted gone from his life. The Lord did not remove this storm from Paul’s life but declared, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).

These examples show that sometimes the Lord chooses to calm the storm and sometimes he wants you to remember to cling to Him through the storm - -  for His strength to be sufficient for you.  Either way, He is there and He is your safe harbor through the tides of change.

GOING DEEPER:

1.    Do you see Jesus as a safe harbor in the storm? If not, please read the Scripture listed in this devotional or do your own Google search for verses. Pray about what you read.

2.    Think of a time in your past when you felt storm-tossed. With the perspective of time, how do you now see that God was with you through it all?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 62:7-8; Psalm 91:1-4

Along with being a wife and mother to two teenage sons, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood and works with a great group of High School girls.

[1] to see pictures of the damage Eagle, WI sustained in the tornado, click here.

Relentless
By Lisa Boyer

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

Years ago, as I walked up to my front door, a thought popped into my head for the 100th time… ok, possibly not the 100th but it sure felt like it.

It had started two days ago at a women’s conference. I had attended a workshop entitled “The Battle Within” where we learned ways to combat the lies that pop into our heads, attempting to steal our joy and freedom. I sat there listening and thinking, yes, I do that and it works. I left feeling pretty good about myself because I had that issue under control.

Then I headed off to my second workshop “Blessed are the Peacemakers” which was about conflict resolution. There was no doubt that I needed this workshop, but let’s just keep that between you and me. Anyway, as I sat there listening to the speaker talk about how God uses conflict and healthy ways to resolve conflict, a thought kept popping into my head about a time when I had had a conflict resolution conversation with someone. The fact was that it had gone well, but the thought popping into my head during that workshop wasn’t reflecting it like that at all. The thought was a lie. I spent the whole 45-minute workshop pushing that thought out of my head only to find it back just a few minutes later. Evidently, I was no expert at controlling “The Battle Within” after all.

Two days later, with that lie back in my head again and I thought, “Wow! Satan is relentless!”

But then it hit me: Ultimately, Satan isn’t relentless… GOD is relentless; relentless in His love for us. 

Our heavenly Father has let nothing stand in the way of us having a relationship with Him! He sent His only Son to die for us! Now THAT is relentless, relentless love! And He allows nothing to separate us from His relentless love: “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The enemy may be persistent and most certainly annoying, but he’s not relentless… he’s defeated.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Today, will you take a moment to reflect on the relentless love your heavenly Father has for you?
2. With whom can you share your experience of relentless love?

FURTHER READING:
John 3:16; 1 John 4:4

Lisa is married to Ted and they have two adult sons. Lisa serves on a Sunday morning Welcoming Team at Oakwood. 

Thinking Outside the “Boat”!

By Karen D’Amore

When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  

Matthew 14: 26-29 (NIV)

Jesus was stretching the disciples to exercise their faith in Him, for when He would no longer be with them…physically.  Peter responds by exercising, what some may call… “reckless” abandoned faith!  In my personal faith-walk, I recall wavering between doubt and trust, before recognizing that abandoned faith “colors outside the lines” and “thinks outside the box!” Here we see Jesus modeling “out of the box” behavior when, instead of arriving by boat, He reconnects with the disciples by walking on water. This unexpected method of arrival frightened the disciples, drawing them to question who Jesus was… thinking He was a ghost.

When I walked through a personal storm with cancer, I struggled to recognize God’s presence in it. Praying God would stop that storm, I found fear erupted when He didn’t. But like Peter, once I exercised faith and stepped out of the boat, I was able to walk on water…with Jesus. Through that experience, I learned that when Jesus doesn’t calm the storm, He’s calling us to walk in it…with Him!

While the other disciples remained in the safety of the boat, Peter steps out of his “comfort zone” and experiences the miracle of walking on water. Thinking outside the boat requires stepping out of our comfort zone…walking towards Jesus and trusting in His power. We must then continue  that walk of faith by keeping our eyes on Jesus…instead of focusing on the stormy circumstances. Peter demonstrates how to conquer our fears by moving forward in faith…even when we’re afraid.

It’s encouraging how Jesus used the obstacle which made the disciples fearful (the sea) as a staircase for them to come to Him. Paralyzing fear was my initial response to my cancer diagnosis! When I stopped resisting that “storm” and allowed Jesus to rescue me and carry me through those rough waters, He became my anchor of hope. The obstacle which incited fear (cancer) and distanced me from Jesus became the staircase which drew me closer and strengthened my faith in Him.

We’re promised, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you”  (Isaiah 43:2, NASB, emphasis added). Faith requires stepping out of the comfort of our “boats”…into the storm. It entails thinking outside the “boat” where the impossible becomes…Him-possible!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Are you docked in a safe harbor or walking on water?

FURTHER READING:

Philippians 4:13; Isaiah 55:8; Romans 12:2

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. 

A Gideon Moment

 By Elin Henderson

“And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into your hands, lest Israel claim glory itself….”

Judges 7:2b (NKJV)

If nothing else, most people in full-time ministry are plan-o-holics! We love schedules, plans, strategies… You name it! To a degree, we have to be this way, or we probably wouldn’t get much accomplished. We look at the tasks that need to be accomplished and then consider the time, effort and energy that is needed in order to come up with a strategy and boldly move forward. Of course, with the amount of interruptions that come at us in a day that are NOT part of our schedule, it is a wonder we get anything done!   

Gideon did the same. He looked at the enemy before him, and the battle that was looming ahead of him. As a good leader, he knew their strengths and weaknesses and developed a battle plan that suited the situation. He knew the amount of soldiers it would take and how to deploy them. Then God started to do the unthinkable.

He began a slow process of whittling down Gideon’s well-laid plans and his well-developed army of 30,000… until it was a measly 300! Gideon’s job just went from difficult to basically impossible! 

How many times have we found ourselves in a Gideon Moment? We develop a very well-thought-out strategy, amass our troops, get ready to head to battle - - and then God shows up and whittles away our hoarded resources until there’s nearly nothing. We stand there in shock and dismay while God says, “Now, get at it! Go to war!”

But we do not fight alone! Even though our armies are a fraction of what they used to be, and our well-laid plans and strategies are no longer effective, God fights for us and shows Himself strong on our behalf. A Gideon Moment brings a grand opportunity for our faith in God to grow. When we cease to focus on our own resources and plans, and readjust our eyes to see only Him, we see Him  bring victory out of nothing!

GOING DEEPER:                                                       

1.    Does this mean that we shouldn’t plan or strategize in life/ministry? There is sufficient Scripture that would rebuff that, but how should we hold these well-laid plans and ministry?   

2.    Can you think of any other examples in Scripture where a Gideon Moment occurred?  (Hint: Jericho, Red Sea, David and Goliath…) How do they encourage you?

FURTHER READING:

Exodus 14:13; 1 Samuel 14:6; Matthew 19:26

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as church planters with Ethnos 360 in Mozambique, Africa.  Elin is mother to eighteen-year-old Callie and fifteen-year-old Elias.

What’s In It For Me?
By Carolyn Hulliberger

“No doubt about it! God is good - -  good to good people, good to the good-hearted.”
Psalm 73:1 (The Message, paraphrase)

Following God with all your heart is difficult. Not just difficult…there are times that will call for social, physical or emotional discomfort, sacrifice, pain. At times it’s tempting for even the most seasoned Christ-followers to look around and say, “Forget it. Everyone else has more fun and prosperity…without any problems. What am I getting out of this? It’s not fair. I’m out of here.” This feeling is nothing new. Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, told his story and fought the same emotions. But God has an answer to him, and to us.

Asaph saw that “the wicked” (v. 3, NIV) seemingly had no struggles. They were healthy, proud, arrogant, and carefree (v. 4-12). Sound familiar? Just like many of us, Asaph found himself struggling with envy of these people. But God showed Asaph the destination of the unfaithful. They are “cast down to ruin…destroyed…completely swept away” (v. 18-19). And Asaph’s destination? The very presence of God (v. 24).

At the end of the psalm, Asaph worships God:

“I’m still in your presence,
But you’ve taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me,
And then you bless me.
You’re all I want in heaven!
You’re all I want on earth!
When my skin sags and my bones get brittle,
GOD is rock-firm and faithful.
Look! Those who left you are falling apart!
Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again.
But I’m in the very presence of God—
Oh, how refreshing it is!” (v. 23-26, The Message, paraphrase)

God showed Asaph the last chapter of the book, to help him understand that he…just like us…lives in the middle of the story. God’s faithfulness to those who love Him does not end.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What are you putting your hope and confidence in today?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 89:8

Along with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative and serves in Oakwood Church as a Community Group leader.

F.T.O.

By Lexi Cole Ellis

 

“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”

Psalm 33:20-22 (ESV)

 

When our dog, Calvin, was a puppy he could be a little stubborn. After a long time of exercising, we’ll get home, I’ll feed him and he’ll clearly be tired. However, he’ll stubbornly want to stay awake “until Daddy gets home” and paces around the room tiredly. I’ll pick him up and hold him; he’ll resist a little as I force cuddle time. I’ll give him a chew toy and he’ll chew and blink, as he drifts asleep in my arms. We’ve started calling these “breaks” F.T.O. for “forced time-out.” Often, it’s been exactly what he needed. Though it’s a little bit harder now that Calvin is fifty pounds, I’ll still occasionally pick him up and hold him when it’s necessary. He’ll think about jumping away for a minute and then cuddle up, resting his head in my neck, eyes blinking until he falls asleep.

Sometimes, God puts us in a forced time-out because it’s what we need. Not as a punishment, not to be mean, but as to reveal to us a new way, because He knows best. F.T.O. might be an answer to prayer that says “wait” or “no.” F.T.O. might be a plan or timing we never could have dreamed up.

I think of a friend who recently received a “no” from God to plans she had made. Through the tears and “why’s,” she choose to trust that His forced time-out was exactly part of His plan and blessing for her life. What a privilege it has been to look back and see specific ways God was holding her during that time and how His F.T.O. was exactly what she needed. Only our God truly knows what’s for our best...often more so than we do. In the midst of our angst and pacing around, God sometimes picks us up and holds us, showing us His way is best.

When Calvin sometimes needs the forced time-out, I’m thankful for the reminder that we serve a God who has perfect plans for us...and lovingly holds us.

GOING DEEPER:

1. When has God used F.T.O. in your life? Is there a situation you can look back on and say “Yup, God’s way was better” or are there circumstances right now where God is calling you to trust His plan?
2. What truths do you know about the Lord that you can rely on today as you walk through change or unknown? (Want some ideas? Click on the further reading verses.)

 

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 18:30; Isaiah 40:21-31; Exodus 34:6-7 

Lexi’s family consists of her, her husband, Andrew, her daughter, Sloane, and her dog, Calvin. She teaches sixth grade Reading and Writing and serves with Children’s Ministries.

Choose Joy

By Karen D’Amore

 

“...whenever troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.

For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

James 1:2 (NLT)

 

My affection for words has spurred a growing collection of jewelry inscribed with my favorite words. Aware of my collection and love of words, a friend recently gave me a necklace inscribed with the word “JOY.” Though I absolutely LOVE the necklace... “Joy” was not in my repertoire of favorite words.

 

Within the month following receipt of this beloved gift, the word “joy” began popping up everywhere. From random Facebook posts to songs, sermons, emails, billboards and Bible studies. I found myself immersed in a joy-themed arena. Initially, I didn’t give it much thought until the immersion transitioned into a ridiculous (almost comical) saturation. In hindsight, I should have recognized God’s presence in the “joy”-themed saturation. Was there a message to be gleaned? Was He preparing me for something?

 

I was wearing the “JOY” necklace when the trial struck. Fixating on the troubling circumstances, I re-hashed the details until the trial eventually stole my joy! Defeated, I chose seclusion and isolation. In the midst of that seclusion, God - - in His innate tenderness - - diverted my focus from my circumstances to His manifestations of tranquility. Just beyond my bedroom window, in the quiet of the soft falling snow, a herd of deer lay peacefully bedded down. As I was entranced by the embodiment of serenity, God used the distraction to uplift and encourage my aching heart. Moments later, I read a Facebook post with a wooden sign bearing the inscription... “Choose Joy!”

 

While I fixated on my joy-robbing circumstances, God reminded me of His goodness. In the verse above, Paul writes that trials could either become an obstacle or an “opportunity for great joy.” With my favorite word being “faith,” I was reminded trials are opportunities for faith-testing and endurance-growing. Once I stopped dwelling on my circumstances and meditated on God’s faith-building process, I worked to “Choose Joy!”

 

In this life we will face trials, each holding the potential to be joy-robbers or joy-growers... the choice is ours! Will you choose to worry or worship? The source on which we fixate influences our choices. “If there is any virtue and anything praise worthy - - meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8b, NASB). Let’s meditate on God’s praise worthy virtues and...“Choose JOY!”

 

            “Choosing JOY is being able to see God’s goodness even when life is hard and messy!” (1)

                                                                                                                       

GOING DEEPER:

1. What’s affecting your ability to be joyful?
2. Where’s your focus?

 

FURTHER READING:

Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18    

 

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility.

 

(1)  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/276689970831885542/