We need God's strength to pray. Strength at work to excel as a testimony of Christ. We need strength to be holy, stand firm and believe in God's promises.
Scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. (Psalms 28:7, NIV).
But what do you do if you are just plain miserable? Nothing seems to go right no matter how hard you try. How do you find the strength to be joyous when your life feels like a train wreck? And how do you find strength when the enemy, similar to Delilah, attempts to lure you to sleep only to steal your strength to be joyous? (Judges 16:19).
Let me suggest beloved that true refreshing joy is found in a life hidden in Christ. The Psalmist writes, "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." (Psalms 27:5 KJV).
Too often we take joy in activities, social gatherings, travel and other things. But the joy that God gives is found in the hidden place - out of sight, out of sound and out of reach from the world and the enemy.
As we read in Song of Solomon, "Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom-- there I will give you my love." (7:12, NIV). In other words, joy is an intimate and personal expression of God to us. Likewise, we respond to Him by taking delight in Him for sheltering us from the storms of life that wear us down and take our joy.
We can face any storm knowing God has a refugee awaiting for us be at the end of the day or in the middle of the night...joy is abiding in Him - our secret place of strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment