Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart

My heart is heavy this morning. But I must not give in to the heaviness.

Last Wednesday evening at one of our Bible studies, we discussed joy. Some of the people thought of joy as the same as happiness. I talked about the joy I had even after my husband died. I was grieving but I had a joy inside that was unexplainable. It came from knowing that God had hold of me.

Since that night I've read about the joy of the Lord and meditated on what it means. From James I read that we are to count it all joy when we fall into various trials. In my opinion most of the trials we fall into are those that threaten to steal away our faith and trust in God. We pray. Nothing happens. In fact, everything looks worse. That's a trial of my faith that God is still in control and is holding on to me.

James says the testing of that faith produces patience. The perfect work of patience is maturity. With patience's perfect work we lack nothing. NOTHING! Can you imagine lacking nothing?

Thursday and Friday--all day, meditating on the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Then comes the trial of my faith last night. My heart ached and fear threatened. Where was the joy? I've prayed about this situation so long and what seemed to be better suddenly was right back where it has been for years.

In the notes on James 1:2-4 the author writes, "The proper attitude in meeting adversity is to count it all joy, which is not an emotional reaction but a deliberate intelligent appriasal of the situation from God's perspective, viewing trials as a means of moral and spiritual growth. We do not rejoice in the trials themselves, but in their possible results. Trials serve as a discipline to purge faith of dross, stripping away what is false. Patience is not a passive resignation to adverse circumstances, but a positive steadfastness that bravely endures."

I spoke of this trial to a friend last night and he said, "What can you do about it?"
My response was true. "Nothing." I cannot change this situation except through prayer. And that I will continue to do.

I want to make it clear that God has not brought this situation on our family. He only uses it to strengthen all of us--to bring us to that perfect work of patience, faith and trust. What is more amazing about Him is that He knew it was coming and prepared me with His word.

The joy of being in the Saviour's arms upholds me. His joy strengthens me. Along with the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, I have the peace that passes understanding down in my heart today.

Patience

What is the one Christian virtue most of us don't possess and all of us pray for?

Patience.

I received an email today about patience. Mostly it was about being patient with our children. I can't tell everything he said but with every word I read I wished I had been more patient with my girls. Water under the bridge, spilt milk, all that and more. I can't change what I didn't do so as Paul said about something else entirely--let's go on to something else.

Today I am learning patience once more. Maybe every day, but today for sure. I see where I'm going and want to get there NOW!

It doesn't work that way, does it? When God shows us a way to go, He doesn't immediately move us in that direction. Instead we have to wait for how to get there.
Moses is a prime example. I bet he learned a lot about patience from the time he killed the Egyptian until he died out in that wilderness. In impatience he struck the rock and never made it to the Promised Land.

I don't want to strike the rock and get ahead of God. I don't even want to follow Him because I could get too far behind and get lost. I want to walk right beside Him knowing that in His time I'll be where He's called me and it will be just the way He wants me to get there.

Let It Dry

We had our carpets cleaned yesterday--the living room, bedroom, dining room and our closet. Almost all the furniture in those rooms are in the entry hall, hallway, kitchen and our bathroom. Every place we walk is like running an obstacle course. We were instructed by the cleaner person that it would be better to allow two days (yesterday and today) to let the carpet dry thoroughly before we moved everything back into place.For two melancholies (the Florence Littauer definition for perfectionists), it isn't easy living around disorder. We love being able to restore order--quickly and perfectly. But our melancholy needs to be subjected to the wisdom of waiting until the carpet dries.

Isn't that the way we are in our lives? We want everything to be what we think is perfect all the time, and when it isn't, we try to find a way to make it happen--fast. Thinking about this reminded me of what James told us. Trials (having the carpet cleaned is a trial) tests our faith which produces patience (we want to put everything back into place NOW), which produces a perfect work (no wood stains on wet carpet.) In his words, after we let that happen then we are perfect and complete--mature. Maturity is not rushing our lives, but being able to wait for the perfect time, for the perfect event to take place even when we think we know how it should work and can think of a myriad of ways to make that happen. Today, maturity for us is letting the carpet dry.

Maybe we should think about letting the "carpet dry" more often.