When we become caught up in the chaos of a moment, it can be easy to forget all the Lord has previously done to tell us, ‘I've got this.’ We tend to put an expiration date on His faithfulness, as if the promises He has established throughout history only go so far before they fade out and eventually lose their effect on how we live.
What if we instead internalized this grace, so that our default is to reflect during present and future trials, trusting that God will take care of us again?
Oftentimes, marvelous faith is asked of us — for what does faith mean except to trust God with what we cannot see? Thankfully, God graces us with a gift — learning from the past and hoping for the future. Think back to the last time your faith was tested; maybe it seemed like the end was not in sight. Yet here you are today with a testimony proclaiming how He brought you through that moment. I believe He will do it again. The key is to remember.
The word "remember" is mentioned 166 times in the Bible (NIV) as Jesus encourages believers to remember Him and remember our sins. That way, we are less prone to falling into them again. By remembering, we make room for miracles in our lives that would otherwise be repressed by worry and unrest. How do we fight such adversaries to the faith? With truth — God’s Truth that combats with joy.
Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Jesus is the reason for our joy. Because of Him, we can hope. Because of Him, we have life and the confidence to live it well.
Joy is not happiness. Happiness is a temporary emotion that depends on circumstance and has the potential of being stripped away at any moment. Joy thrives in a heart whose humble posture before the Lord embodies positivity, contentment and hope.
Without joy, there is no beauty. Without beauty, there is no hope. Without hope, there is no life. Joy is fed by thankfulness, trust, prayer and surrender and breaks the surface, diving beneath temporary bliss and happiness. Joy believes that God’s got this.
In times like this, we can find comfort in the fact that God finds joy in our joy, but also sadness in our sadness.
Once we have found where our joy resides, we can help others find their joy. What if the solution to our doubt in the midst of uncertainty is simply to remember?
In Deuteronomy 8, the people of Israel have resorted to complaining. God rebukes them, reminding them how He provided food for them when they were hungry, shelter when they were cold, and direction when they were lost. He even split the sea and destroyed Pharaoh's army, all because of love. May we be inspired and learn from this reminder in Deuteronomy, that God was with us before this tragedy, He is with us through it and He will continue to be with us.
