Count It All Joy?

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Every time I hear the phrase “Count it All Joy” I can’t help but go back in time and hear a little girl in the fictional town of Odyssey sitting on a bar stool in a malt shoppe. A wonderful older man, Mr. Whitaker, would be counseling her about the “trial” she was going through at the time, and her little doubt-filled voice would remind you of Eeyore of Winnie-the-Pooh fame. “Count it all joy, count it all joy.” She could barely lift her head up, it was all such an effort…(if you are an Adventures in Odyssey fan you can hear the music in the background…”Hi this is Connie!”)

It started out with Erica complaining to her friend Kim about practically everything in her complicated middle-school life. Kim gets so tired of hearing it she “blows up” and tells her friend she doesn’t know how good she has it and she should, “Try being happy once in a while!”

When Erica shows up at Whit’s End, the favorite hangout for the kids, she runs into Jenny, who is blind. Erica asks her how she always seems to be so happy even though she cannot see. Jenny tells her that she lives by James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 NKJV.

She said whenever she gets down or starts to feel sorry for herself she just starts saying, “Count it all joy; count it all joy…” and it usually works!

So, Erica gives it a try. In every situation that comes up she tries to use Jenny’s formula. Every time she gets upset she says, “Count it all joy; count it all joy.”

She loses her homework, “Count it all joy.” But it doesn’t work. She is still mad. Every time she tries it she only gets more agitated and what works for Jenny seems to backfire on Erica.

Mr. Whitaker offers some wise advice that we all can learn from. Erica has confused joy with happiness. Joy has nothing to do with the way that we feel.

We cannot always be happy but we can always be joyful!

We count all things joy because God is working in all situations, even when we think He has forgotten us, they are for a purpose.

Our instinct is to avoid conflict, turmoil, anxiety and personal pain at any cost. We even spend a good deal of time and money on counseling, exercise, nutrition, anything that will help us to avoid things that will bring us discomfort.

But according to scripture; trials, heartaches and suffering WILL COME in the life of a Christian.

Looking at the tenth chapter of the book of Hebrews, it seems that they approached their struggles a little differently: “Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.” Hebrews 10:33-34 NLT.

These things happened all the time for the early Christians; they were daily occurrences! So how did they get through?

They kept their eyes on the reward!

“They knew that the persecution, that was only temporary, could not begin to compare to the eternal reward. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18.

This is what our Lord and Savior did. He was able to endure the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV.

There is still joy in the everyday living. You can and will get through each trial if you are trusting in the living God.

Trials produce steadfastness in your life, making you unmovable!

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“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love… for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-10 NKJV.

You cannot always be happy but you CAN always be joyful if you know Jesus Christ.

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Do you CHOOSE Joy? What we go through on this earth will not be able to be compared to what is waiting for us in heaven! As the old song says,

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus,
Our trials will seem so small, when we see Christ!
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase,
So bravely run this race, ‘til we see Christ!

Were you an Adventures in Odyssey fan? Come on, I am admitting I loved it as much as my boys! We all listened to it as a family on vacations. Let’s get the conversation going!

 

Kingdom2

When less is more

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When less is more…. It’s been forever and a day since I have written a #FiveMinuteFriday post! So glad to be back even if for one week. Today’s word prompt is More and I hope it is an encouragement to you to give what you have for you never know who might be needing it. Happy FriYay!

“Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford – she gave her all!” Luke 21:1-4 The Message.

It’s not often that I use The Message version of the Bible as a reference but today’s was too good to pass up. Here Jesus is observing those in the temple give offerings. Many gave but few had it hurt or make a difference in their pocketbooks. Then the poor widow approaches and gives two measly little pennies and I love what Jesus says here. She gave the largest offering! And? The others gave offering they would never even miss. They wouldn’t notice it was gone from their abundance, they had so much and could have given more but were actually holding back from giving til it hurt.

But the poor widow gave her all, she had nothing left and didn’t know where the next meal might come from or when she could give another offering. She just gave because that is what you do when much has been given to you. You give back however you can.

Fulton Sheen said,

If your offering doesn’t hurt, doesn’t cause you to ask yourself if you could have given more, if it isn’t a sacrifice to you then was it really an offering? Why does Jesus want us to give sacrificially anyway?

Because  He wants us to trust Him.

When we give out of our heart we are putting it back on Him to supply our need. Whether it is monetarily or not, we  are to give to the Church for the furtherance of the Gospel and the necessities of life. We are to give to others, to those less fortunate and the needy and then we are to give of ourselves, to pour Christ into those around us who are desperate for His touch that may come through you!

What do you have to give today? Are you holding back from reaching out to someone at your work or school? Someone you know from the carpool or daycare? You just never know who is struggling and desperate for a gentle touch, an “Is everything okay?” or “How can I pray for you today?” Sometimes that is all it takes to break down the walls that a hurting soul has put up. They just want to know that someone cares and may have prayed a prayer that very morning for God to send someone their direction.

Will it be you? Will you find out today that less is really more when Jesus is behind it all. Let Him guide you today to be that encouragement to someone that is hurting and looking for Him. Your offering might not be two pennies, it might be two listening ears or two helping hands. Let Him work through you today!

For the kingdom

 

While it was still dark…

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While it was still dark… Mornings. You either love them or hate them. I am a lover of mornings and I will now gladly list some of the awesome things I enjoy about being up early in the morning. (For clarification, getting up sometime before noon is not early morning, ahem. Just sayin’.) I’m talking EARLY, anywhere from 4 to 6 a.m.

  • Coffee. No need to add anything here. Enough said.
  • The quiet. There is no one to bother you, no as-soon-as-I-rise-my-mouth-goes-96-miles-per-hour-with-incessant-questions in your ear. Just you and the quiet. And Jesus.
  • Sunrise. This has to be one of the most amazing pictures God paints for us every single morning. Naturally, sunSET is just as spectacular but with the sunrise it seems it is just you and God, enjoying it together.
  • Morning prayer. Early morning prayer. I am not one that thinks you can only pray early in the morning. Sometimes I might as well have waited until the afternoon because my eyelids won’t stay open and I am so sleepy it is anybody’s guess what I actually said to the Savior. Thankfully, He understands. But when I push through, there is nothing like starting your day with the Lord of the universe! It makes all the difference in the world. Before social media, before email, before television, the newspaper or even others if it is possible, give me Jesus.
  • Walking. This used to be my absolute favorite activity before the sun would rise. I would slip on those walking shoes and be out that door while the family was still relishing the last few minutes before the alarm would go off. Meeting my SIL at the end of the driveway, we would start our 3 mile trek, waking up the body as we went.  I miss it terribly.

I can seriously go on and on about the benefits of being up in the early morning hours but you get the picture. I am afraid if I don’t get up early I will miss something!

Mary Magdelene thought that too. “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” John  20:1 NKJV.

The Bible says she got there while it was still dark. Mary was an early morning person too and today was no exception. She was rewarded with being one of the very first to witness the empty tomb! She ran to tell Peter and the others and the Lord even appeared to her to confirm His resurrection.

Can you imagine being in Mary’s shoes? Seeing the empty tomb, the angel and knowing that your wildest dreams had actually come true? The Savior, the Messiah, did exactly what He said He would do and you were among the first to witness it?

As exciting as that was, it didn’t end there. Jesus still makes Himself available to US every single day, every single moment. He died on that cross for each of us and He rose again that third day so that we could also overcome death, hell and the grave.

The book of Lamentations tells us that the Lord’s mercies are new EVERY MORNING. We have another chance, all things are new! That blesses me every time to think I have a clean slate and when that sun begins to rise I can make it great (as my brother always says) or I can waste it.

Let us resolve, in these last days, to be like Mary Magdalene, not necessarily that we have to be up before dawn but that we be expectant, eager, anticipating what God has for us and for those around us. If we have spent time at His feet we will be able to hear His voice, as Mary did, and have a purpose to GO and tell others that He is alive!

Have a wonderful Resurrection Sunday with your family and friends. May you worship our Risen Savior with reckless abandon and humble adoration. He is coming again; don’t miss it!

For the kingdom