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JOY

Hey my friends,
 
            Hope you are having a great week.   You should pop in around the church these days.  Christmas is in the air.  Decorations are starting to go up.  Artwork for our Advent Series is being created.  It’s a fun place to be.
 
            Of course, we know that the Christmas season isn’t all about warm cups of cocoa and magical mistletoe moments.  For some of us, it can be the most difficult time of the year.
 
            This week, at our staff meeting, we talked about mental health and what we need to do to make sure that we are staying healthy and not suffering alone.  Heather Donald led the devotional time, and she referenced a blogger named Aretha Grant who listed nine reasons why joy is possible in seasons of intense suffering.
 
            Here they are:
 

  1. Joy is from the Lord
  2. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit
  3. Joy can accompany other feelings
  4. Joy is based on God’s attributes not my feelings
  5. Joy looks beyond the painful moment to a hopeful future
  6. Joy comes from trusting God’s promises
  7. God doesn’t waste anything we experience
  8. Joy presses on
  9. The joy you need is available

 
          I found her thoughts to be very encouraging and true. 
 
          About ten years ago, I wrote a book on suffering and hope called, “Something Painful This Way Comes.”  The devotional this morning reminded me of an excerpt from that book.
 
          I started writing this book five months ago. Since then, my kidney function has dropped significantly, I'm still unable to work and still have no clear idea what God has for me for the future. During the past five months there have been days here and there (and sometimes weeks here and there) where it has taken all my effort and energy to keep from giving into despair and hopelessness.
 
Both my wife, Jennifer, and I have experienced these dark, dark times. But God has been with us through it all. And then, the other day, something extraordinary happened; I notice that I was whistling.
 
Whistling!
 
I thought to myself, how can I be whistling? I only whistle when I'm happy. I can only whistle when there's a song in my heart.
 
When I'm sad or my heart is heavy, I don't have what it takes to whistle. This is truly amazing to me. I was quite surprised. I wasn't expecting it, but that is just how God works.
 
He gives supernatural peace when anxiety threatens to derail.
 
He gives supernatural joy when despair and sorrow flood over the edge.
 
And he gives supernatural hope when the future is completely unclear and threateningly bleak.
 
He promised that he would be with me in trouble, and He has never let me down.
 
          I hope that as you head into this Christmas season, you don’t try and face your difficulties alone.  There are some things that I try to do to help me when I feel the heavy weight of sadness start to creep in. 
 

  • I lean into presence of God
  • I take time to rest
  • I pay attention to my doctor’s orders
  • I talk about it with a few trusted friends
  • I go to counseling
  • I try to remember that I am not alone nor am I the only person experiencing this pain
  • I devote myself to scripture memory, to getting God’s Word in my heart and all around me

 
          These have delivered real-time help in my life during difficult moments, days or seasons.
 
          I pray that you will find hope in these words today, too. 
 
          This weekend we will kick off our Advent Series called “When Heaven Speaks.”  I will be speaking on the shepherds’ encounter with the angels.  I am looking forward to talking about peace.  
 
          Love you guys and am praying for you. 
 
          I love being your pastor.
 
Pastor Tim