Life happens, for the word of God say in Matthew 5:11 “God
blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
People we mock you, persecute you, say all sorts of evil things because we are Christ followers.
When all this happens, the bible say we should count in all Joy,
just as the disciple in Acts 5:41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.
If we must do what the disciple did, then we must also experience what they experience. But one thing we should always remind ourselves despite the situation that in the present of God, there is fullness of God.
1 Thes 5:16 says Always be joyful. This is an instruction
from God, our father to us to always be joyful. Because Joy comes from the Spirit, His spirit in us and not from our circumstances.
Isaiah must it this way , With joy you will drink deeply
from the fountain of salvation!
Indeed, our joy is not circumstantial.
Joy is a fortification in times of trials
The best way to describe the Joy that comes from within is
found in Hab 3:17-19
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no
grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie
empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle
barns are empty,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful
in the God of my salvation!
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as
surefooted as a deer,[a]
able to tread upon
the heights.
My family in Christ, say this to yourself.
My Joy is not circumstantial
My Joy is from within
Then The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
