FINDING JOY AND STRENGTH IN JESUS

“…the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV)

When I was in my twenties (after becoming a Christian in the seventh grade), I thought I had all the answers I needed to know about God and life.  I was very mistaken!  The older I get and the longer I am a Christian, the more questions I have about life that remain unanswered. 

Something I can always count on, though, is being able to rejoice in God, even when the answers don’t come.  There are days when I run out of energy after a few simple tasks, my to-do list remains undone, and true joy seems very hard to find.  Sometimes at the end of days like these, I will just sit on my couch and say, “God, even though several things have gone wrong today, and I wasn’t able to accomplish many of the things I wanted to, and I’m tired and feeling lost and lonely, I am grateful that I can still rejoice in You.  You alone are my Strength and Shield, my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer (Psalm 18:2).  You are my Shelter in a time of storm (Psalm 143:9; Psalm 46).  I know that I can trust in You.”

I think this is what Habakkuk meant when he said, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).  Even when the crops and herd failed (which is a terrifying thought in an agricultural economy), and his society lived with poverty and hunger, Habakkuk was still able to rejoice in the Lord.[1]  His fear of the future is transformed by hope and trust in the Lord, and by his ability to rejoice always in God His Savior.[2]

Are you able to rejoice in God today, despite the many trials you may be going through?  Can you rejoice in Jesus just because of who He is and what He is able to do?  Let Nehemiah and Habakkuk’s faith and trust in the Lord give you hope today, and inspire you to greater heights in your relationship with Christ.

Dear Jesus:  When the chips are down, help us to rejoice in You, and to have a joy that’s not based on our circumstances but in who You are.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.