“The woman that I see is filled with joy and a passion for life. Even when life brings trials her way, she brings forth treasure from them.”
Ok — today is a funny day for me to be posting on this point, because it’s one of “those” days. It’s a day when I am not feeling particularly joyful, or passionate, for that matter. I am just coming back in town from an absolutley wonderful vacation (although my DH did sustain multiple injuries as he stated in his sermon on Sunday), and I have that feeling of re-entering the reality of daily life. 210 emails in my inbox, the kids’ acitivities, a couple of speaking enagements, behind on deadlines, two weeks worth of missed work to catch up on and school starting in just 3 weeks! All of that just does not combine into a gooey ball of joy and passion!
Looking at the list of things that need to be done could easily overwhlem me. So I have to remind myself to make the shift into thankfulness. I believe that one of the quickest ways to access joy is through thankfulness. I have so much to be thankful for — first, that I was even able to GO on a vacation! How many people in the world even get to do that? I am so thankful! The fact that all three of my children are healthy enough to participate in a mind-numbing array of activites — YES!!!! Thank God! The reality that I HAVE a job with crazy deadlines and projects, enough friends to fill my inbox with 210 emails — how awesome is that? Through the lense of thankfulness, the once daunting task list simply becomes evidence of a blessed and fruitful life. Not a perfect life — maybe a bit stressful and busy — but fruitful all the same. Who could ask for more?
It is a well-known maxim that true joy is not based on our circumstances, but upon the GOD who is bigger than any circumstance we face! Thankfulness in the face of trial is the most basic step toward walking in joy. When I look at the life of Paul, I see such an incredible example of this. He writes in II Cor. 4:8-9, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” Paul understood that what we see and feel rarely refelects spiritual reality. His motivating passion was the people he served and labored over for the kingdom. He says in verse 15, “For all things are for your sakes, so that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God.”
Paul had passion to see God glorified though His people. And this passion motivated him in the face of trial and tribulation to continue focusing on the eternal rather than the physical. (vs.17) He delighted in and drew strength from the fact that in the fcae of trial the nature of the his “inner man” was being revealed. (Vs. 16) It can be the same way with us when we choose to be thankful andremain passionate in the face of trial. I am certain that when we do so, we will be able to draw forth treasure from seemingly difficult circumstances.
9 Comments
Pastor Kerri, thank you so much for sharing this with us. I was having one of the days/week and after reading your blog it put things into perspective once again. Sometimes I think we need to know that you’re not the only one feeling a lack of joy. Thanks again for your
inspiring words. We love you, your family and our AWESOME church.
Great post! Love you!
Thank you for posting this…it’s amazing how God can speak to each one of us even if it is through internet!!Thanks for sharing this with us!
Sparkle was awesome Pastor K. You have a great team with a passion for our middle and high school girls. Thank you for your passion and commitment to our next generation….last night couldn’t have gone better!!
Just what I needed.
Marta, Becca, and Marie — So glad the post encouraged you!
Rachel — I loved sparkle. Its funny how intimidating it can be to speak to youth! But it was great — hope to do it again.
Katie — Are you the gal from Greece? How’s it’s going over there? We are hoping to maybe start a church there at some point.
It’s easy to look at someone else and think their life is easy/easier and that we are going through the overwhelming times alone. My mother-in-law use to say “you know you’re young when life is ‘too’ busy”. While we should be thankful that we have the health and opportunities we have, it’s easy to give in to the negative feelings. I have been listening to Pastor Stovall’s “So great salvation” CDs and they are changing me once again. It changed my thinking when he explained when we were saved that God gave us all the tools we needed at that moment. I have been trying to change and grow and I was one who had the attitude “when God deals with me I will do (fill in the blank)”. I’m learning that I have all the capabilities to change, grow, fight off depression and/or discouragement and feel true joy at my fingertips all day, every day. This sure has been the year of growth and taking me out of my comfort zone and giving my life over to God. This morning I woke up and started to sigh and think “another busy day….will it ever end”……..but that’s a good thing. Instead I just feel blessed to be saved. Thanks for letting us in your world.
Wow…how awsome is God! You wrote this last Tuesday, but I’m just getting it today after having been out of the town for 2 weeks. First day back in the office and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed, but then there’s your blog…PERFECT TIMING AND A PERFECT WORD! Thank you, Pastor Kerri, for the word, and thank you, God, for an awsome church family, a great job, a wonderful vacation, a beautiful, healthy grandson, and a shower of blessing that are too much to count!
Pastor Kerri,
As Rachael shared, Sparkle was awesome. I love being a part of working with the girls when I can. I loved your message and honestly felt it was perfect. Sparkle has awesome potential to reaching those girls in so many ways! You are a blessing, Kerri. You’re leadership and ability to speak to woman, and girls, is truly a gift.
As far as your post, it’s so true. Joy is so hard to find when you allow the burdens and busyness of your day to take over. It’s in those moments, when we have to choose. We must choose to be thankful for the busyness around, be thankful to God for each and every thing He has blessed us with. The Joy truly comes in simply remembering to be thankful.
God Bless,
Gail