Joy and Faith

 I heard a prayer recently that stuck with me. The prayer went like this. "God, may You give us joy in our triumphs and faith to trust You in our trials."

Some people exude joy. It radiates from deep within. It beams through their smiles. It shines off their countenance. Joyful people are truly a blessing to be around. I get that there are plenty of things in this world not to be joyful about. There is also plenty to be joyful about. This morning I saw a little girl I first met on the day of her birth. She is a third grader now. She is always smiling. Running around with her friends giggling and laughing. Joy bubbles out of her all the time. She lives carefree. Loved by Jesus.  Loved by parents and grandparents. Loved by many friends. Her joy fills the room. Everyone loves that little blue-eyed blond-haired girl. The same God who loves her also loves you. That is a sufficient reason for joy. 

All of us should exude joy as it is a fruit of the Spirit according to Gal 5:22-23. Psalms 16:11 reminds us that joy is found in the Lord's presence. In fact, fullness of joy is found there. We can live a life of rejoicing like Paul did. He exhorts us to rejoice always in Phil 4:4. 

Look around you. Do you see many joyful people. I see a lot of stressed, soured, and seething people. I do not see a lot of joy. One singer I heard once sang it looked like God's people had been baptized in sour pickle juice. More frowns than smiles. More puckered faces than abounding joyous ones. 

There are people who are able to rejoice in adverse circumstances. Jesus did so enduring the cross. See Hebrews 12:2-3. Paul did in prison. See again Phil 4:4. Paul and Silas did after getting beaten and thrown in prison. See Acts 16:25. 

We also need to have faith to trust God in trials. I am writing this while sitting in a world history class as students take an examination. Before I passed out the test one of the students asked if I would pray for them. We often pray for people going through difficulties. Why is it easier to have faith for other people than it is to trust God for ourselves? We are presented with a question in the 18th chapter of Genesis. Is anything too difficult for the Lord? The answer is of course not. How we often forget that truth. We get so wrapped up in our problems, mulling them over, stressing over them, and doubting the outcome that we let all of that defeat our trust. Heb 11:1. Heb 11:6. Mark 11:23-24. 

Without question God has earned the right to be trusted. In all circumstances. He has proven Himself faithful over and over again. I Thess 5:24. Choose faith over fear. Choose trust over terror. Choose confident assurance over crisis related anxiety. Phil 4:6-7.

Joy in triumph at all times and trust over every trial. A great prayer to live out.