Pure Joy

We look to our bibles for encouragement in our daily walk with the Lord. This is generally helpful and enlightening, especially if we are guided by the Spirit of God, who will lead us into all truth. For the word of God is living and active, so we can rely and depend upon it. We don’t yet have full understanding of it all, but as we walk with Him, we grow and take courage from its precious promises.

So, what do we make of today’s scripture urging us to look at our troubles with ‘pure joy?’ We may remember Paul and Silas in prison, stripped and beaten, with their feet fastened in stocks, threatened with certain death, praying and singing hymns to God. They knew the power and protection of God. They trusted Him, and even in their darkest hour they gave Him thanks and praise (Acts 16:23-25). Pure joy!

‘In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Joy and tribulation: Don’t these words contradict each other? It depends where our hope and our strength lie. It depends whether or not God is at the centre of our lives. Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” He knew His God, “and the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (Romans 16:20).

Are these just idle words, or do they have the power of truth behind them? Truth only has power when deep down in our hearts we believe it. It all depends on our relationship with God.

The encouraging truth is we’re not on our own. God is with us, always. So instead of looking at the giants coming at us from every direction, we must look to God. But we don’t have to look very far because He’s right here with us. He’s bigger than any other issue in our lives, and we can retreat into Him as our shelter, our covering, and our protector, able to shield us from all the fiery arrows of the evil one. Our problems may not necessarily go away, but as we immerse ourselves in God, under the covering of the Holy Spirit, we know we are safe.

Once we are established in this loving relationship with Him, we can trust Him to lead us in His way, even though it may be painful. But with God as our shield, we can walk through the fire. We don’t have to know where we are going. As long as we’re with Him, He will carry us through, ‘Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything’ (James 1 :3-4).

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).