God has been talking to me a lot at the moment about where does my Joy come from?
Whatever we might receive in life, the novelty of it will fade out over time. Take a new car, for example. Don't you love the new-car smell? The leather and the freshness of the new car? You drive it at every possible chance you can even a few meters down the road to the shop, am I right?
You then say to all your passengers there is a no eating and drinking rule in your car. And then a month goes by and you're late for work. You have to eat, and sure enough, you have your first spillage of some sort inside your car. So anytime after that you find yourself eating and drinking in the car. Some time passes, and you may get that first little dent in the door. Then the paint chips a little. And after a while, that new car is not so exciting anymore.
We could look at this example and see how we may apply it to everything in life. No matter how big, how cool, or how fast—whatever it is, everything loses its appeal after a length of time. So if we think happiness comes from what we have, we will find that we are always going to want something else to take its place, the latest phone, latest computer, car model, anything.
But the Bible teaches that happiness—true happiness—comes from who we know.
Look at the book of Habakkuk 3:17-18
"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, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!"
So what would this look like now? For me it's, Even when I wait for the right job opportunity, the right place to live, the right friendships for this season, no matter what happens I will rejoice in the Lord. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but I'm trusting he will give me the strength. For it says in Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Our joy and contentment in life does not come from what we have. It comes from whom we know and through The Lord the Joy in him will be strength.
Nehemiah 8:10
Joy in Unlikely Places
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
—Acts 16:25–26
When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison in Philippi, they prayed and sang hymns to God at midnight. And they brought the house down—literally. An earthquake struck and shook the prison to such an extent that the walls collapsed.
Their jailer was about to kill himself, because at that time, death was the penalty for guards and their families when a prisoner escaped. But Paul shouted, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!"
Ultimately, that jailer came to believe in Jesus Christ, along with his entire household. And the next day, the city officials sent word to release Paul and Silas from prison.
This story in Acts 16 reminds us that as children of God we can rejoice in the most trying of circumstances. But sometimes the earthquake doesn't come in the middle of the night. Sometimes deliverance from our circumstances doesn't come.
Paul and Silas had to endure a beating, getting thrown into jail, and having their feet fastened into stocks before they were delivered. And although God delivered Daniel from hungry lions, he still had to spend the night in the lions' den.
Because of their unwillingness to bow before the golden image of the king, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace that was heated seven times hotter than usual. But we read that while they were walking around in the furnace, someone was with them who was "like the Son of God." Many believe this was Christ Himself walking with them.
Sometimes when we pray for God's help, He will deliver us and heal us. He will provide for us. He will fix our problem. But at other times He will say, "I will be with you through this, so trust Me."
So whatever your going through, put your trust in him,
