WATCHWORD:
“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father. John 15:11-15
“Happy are the people whose God is the LORD! Psalm 144:15
Meditation:
Time to Clarify
The Bible isn’t interested in making people happy. Instead, the Bible focuses on joy. Happiness is something we feel because of our situation or circumstances. We are happy because something made us happy, but we are joyful because of something right and true within us.
Somehow, happiness never seems to cross our minds when adversity knocks on our door, and yet, there are times when our spiritual joy and our trust in our Lord, carries us through those difficult times.
Have you ever thought about this: Can adversity breed joy? How about mistakes? Errors? No? Let me ask this, then, who is your worse critic? Who berates you for things you have done, are doing, and did even years ago? Who sticks its ugly head into the present moment of joy, and sours it? Don’t we do it to ourselves? Isn’t that the truth?
I once observed that there are some people who can’t ruin their lives fast enough! You could be the greatest hero in town, and hours later you hear the disclaimer from inside your head saying, ‘You could have done that better, or sooner, or gentler.’ We can manufacture guilt and regret out of thin air and in the best of situations. These are spoilers, spoilers of our happiness.
We are hard on ourselves, aren’t we? Our tendency is to look backwards. I coulda, shoulda done that differently, said something else or nothing at all, blah, blah, blah. What a waste of time to sputter around with such regrets. That can only lead to frustration, and all the related negative emotions, and there goes happiness, right out the window. Did your joy go out the window, as well? Probably not. My experience, and probably yours, as well, is that our joy is refreshed, rekindled, renewed in our relationship with God, regardless of circumstance.
So, in a fit of fear or rightness, you come to your Lord and Savior with all of this smelly, seeping, disgusting baggage, and He says to you, ‘don’t be so hard on yourself’. You’re human, you’re going to mess up. That’s a byproduct of free choice, didn’t you know that? I told you that right there in My Book. You’ve read My Book, haven’t you? Did you see that place where your failures can be a source of blessing? You know, your scars can be lessons that give you one of the great graces that a human being can have, that of empathy, understanding and compassion.
You know that silly saying, ‘I feel your pain’? Well, once through adversity, you can honestly say you have been there. You are that friend that jumps into the pit with you because he knows the way out. That’s empathy, My Child.
Oh, and one other thing, I hate to mention this part but I understand how thickheaded you are. Your failures, your goofs, and all those sources of your regrets, they all highlight your dependence on me, your Lord and Savior. You know that smelly, seeping, disgusting baggage you brought to me? There is beauty there if you trust me and have the patience to watch and see what I will do.
One of your brothers, Paul, made a pretty good statement when he said that we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love me. Keep that in mind my child. God’s ‘good’, is what we call happiness, and the foundation is joy in the Lord.
Closing Prayer:
Good morning, Lord!
Thank You for a new day. Thank You that Your compassion is renewed every morning. Great is Your faithfulness and Your steadfast love, O Lord!
I don’t know what all is going to happen today, and how much I’ll get done, but You do. You have planned it just for me and because I know that you have prepared me for all that it holds, I will rejoice and be happy in your presence. So,
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Father. Energize me for Your work, because You know how tired these bones are. Awaken me to the wonder of Your salvation, and quicken my spirit to the reality of Your work in my life.
