Joy

Joy. I had a long post written about joy. Until I realized that the definition I was using in my head for joy is more of the definition of happiness. Happiness is fleeting. Joy is not. Joy is from the Lord. I have the Lord in me, I know I do. Therefore, I have joy in me.

At this moment, I am going through a tough stage. A stage that threatens to steal my joy. It is stealing my happiness. Talk to me for a few minutes and you will know that I am not happy. However, joy comes from the Lord. Though I am not happy, I continue to go to the Lord. To confide in Him. To cry to Him for help.

Although at this moment I am extremely sad, I am reminding myself of the verse:

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 1:2-4

Y’all, though I am sad in this situation, this verse reminds me to count this trial I am going through as JOY. God is using this situation. God is using this trial. Instead of sinning more than I’ve already sinned, but putting my complete faith in God, God will take care of me. I will lack NOTHING. And who knows how this is affecting others that are in this trial. This could be changing their lives. This could be pushing them toward God, and I pray it is.

This verse. God’s promises. Wow! I’m constantly amazed at Him and how He works everything for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)

Y’all, even when we are going through trials, how can we NOT have joy when we are children of God knowing that even though we are sad at the moment, the amazing, loving, full of grace God is working things together for our good, and as Psalm 30:5 says weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

I am so glad to love a God who uses all these trials to fulfill His promises and show His goodness. I am so glad that I can have joy in Him knowing that He is working things together for my good. I am so glad that He is faithful. He has been before. He will continue to be, even when I am sad and cannot see the end or why He is allowing certain things to happen. I know that, even though I am in tears confused at the moment, He’s got this. I am so glad that throughout everything, I can see Him. I can see His work through the good and bad that I go through.

Sweet friend that is reading this, I pray that you will be able to count your current trials as joy. I pray that you will see that God is faithful. I pray that though you may be weeping right now, that joy comes in the morning. I pray that you learn to completely trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. I pray that you will let God be your complete joy in this crazy, amazing journey we call life.