Share some reading with you guys that's taken from "Our Daily Journey with God", October 25, by Marvin Williams
In Philippines 3:1-11, Paul gave us several wonderful truths about maintaining our joy, especially in the face of hardship. The first nugget of truth is to remind ourselves about the source of joy. It's found in this cheerful command: "Rejoice in the Lord." This joy has its source beyond mere human joy, and therefore it is outside of us. Christian joy is a focused concentration on our relationship to Jesus Christ and our position in Him, and it is maintained through the deliberate remembrance of the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord.
Paul's encouragement to rejoice describes a settled state of mind characterized by peace and calmness. Joy is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of the soverign Lord. Christians are not left to the mercy of fate and the outside forces of chance. Joy allows us to see beyond any particular circumstance and focus on the One who stands above all human events and ultimately has control over them.
Christian joy is not a product of circumstance and events. If we experience failed relationships, financial reversals, trials and afflictions, sickness and death, we can still rejoice. Happiness happens because of our happenings, but joy is a choice we make through the Holy Spirit.
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Sometimes I feel that there's no joy in our worship (song-singing) to God, no energy at all, no effort put in to really sing to God. It's like we're falling asleep or something. I don't deny that I do fall into this category at times. But I just want to encourage all to think about our attitude when we come to God together. If our daily actions cannot please Him, let us at least please Him when we sing to Him. Let's start from this point, shall we?
Press on in your exams, tribulations, work, persecutions, trials, etc etc...
-Jocelyn-
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2 comments:
Hi Jocelyn,
Thanks for sharing. I know what you mean, at times I would stop singing because I felt that I'm no longer communicating with God but just singing a song that means nothing to me at that time.
Just want to affirm and encourage you with something I read in NLT: Another wonderful blessing God wants us to receive from Him is inward JOY- this bouyant attitude of heart, mind and spirit that overcomes adversity and is independent of personal circumstances
At times, I look at one christian who is weighted down by the trials of life and become very discouraged while another has such an inward Joy that they can praise God in the midst of their difficult times. Then I heard someone say that what brings this sense of a greater purpose and 'more to life' attitude is the child-like faith, the kind that believes deep down, there is a God that is bigger than anything and is in awe of Him.
I can see that in some of us and in you too. Encourage you to bring out that child-likeness and when in singing praise, remember that you are singing to a GOD that is absolutely awesome and bigger than anything.
ahh paiseh, read my comment and I meant to say I read that line in NLK (new life kit) :p
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