It has been about 6 weeks here on the mission field, and, wow, God is good. He has been changing me in ways I never thought I needed. I have been learning so much and changing so much as I align myself with Christ. It is so good, friends. In that, there has been pain, heartache, tears and anger. But from that has come incomparable joy! To me, joy and happiness are completely different things. Happiness is finding satisfaction in the situation. It’s the bliss of windows down in a car ride in the summer. It’s the first lick of ice cream. It’s your favorite song. Joy is very different. Joy is bliss in the Lord no matter the situation. This is huge (especially the part about no matter the situation). I am unable to fathom how much joy the Lord has given me in the past 7 months. In that time, I went from taking care of my mom as her battle with cancer came to an end, to losing her (my best friend), to finishing high school and working, to going on the mission field.
I would never say that I was happy all the time. The day my mom died was horrible and I wanted to vomit and sob the entire day. Yet, I had joy; joy from the Lord that gave me peace. He gave me joy as I leaned into Him. Romans 15:13 (NIV) says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
He gives the joy and peace as you trust. That means you have to trust in Him. FULLY TRUST. Full trust in him is so so so vital and yet scary at first. But when you place your trust solely in God, Satan can not come in and divide your heart. James 1:6-8 (NLT) says “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
??So, if you are divided, then you’re unstable in everything (even receiving joy from the Lord). Joy is a product of the Holy Spirit living inside of you (see Galatians 5:22). It can take years to fully receive (or seconds) from the time the Spirit is inside of you. Yet, God loves when we ask for more of Him and more intimate relationship with Him. So, if you do not feel joy ASK GOD FOR SOME. It’s easy to find joy when life is good. It’s easy to see how good God is when we are thriving. But when it’s hard, how do you find joy?
It’s in those moments when you really need joy that you have to seek God. And He is the giver of all good things. So He will give joy- maybe not right in that moment, but He will give it (because it aligns with His heart for us). It is so comforting to think that God gives me all I need, including joy (which exceeds happiness)! In practicing being joyful- it becomes easier to always have joy. It takes practice yet it is so worth it.
I was sobbing today. For maybe an hour and a half. I was screaming and yelling and releasing so much pain to the Lord. I probably could be heard down the block. I sounded miserable. I was working though a lot of hurt and pain. I was not happy whatsoever. And yet while 5 people held me and I sobbed, I had joy. Now that sounds crazy. But in the situation of heartbreak, God filled me with joy. He still allowed me to cry, but He gave me all the joy as I cried my guts out to Him. And then in that, God gave me this verse to repeat from Nehemiah 8:10b: “The joy of the Lord if your strength.” I got to be strong by giving Him my pain and receiving His joy. And boy, was it good!
I did not start having joy while I was sobbing. I started with receiving joy by asking from God for it. My “joy muscle” has grown and it is easier. Yet it starts with practicing “flexing your joy muscle.” In the practice, remember that He wants to give you joy! So in this hectic time, I urge you to find joy in the Lord; it can be your strength as well.
Blessings,
Brooke
P.S.
In Guatemala right now. I am supposed to be here for another 6 weeks but it could be adjusted based on COVID-19 (many cautions are in place and hourlot checks are made for if I need to be sent home) God is our protector and I have full faith God is in control.
