True joy can be found in the midst of a raging storm. When all the circumstances around you are out of your control, you can still be filled with joy; you can still live a joy filled and fulfilled life in Christ. That “inner joy” that I’m talking about is a joyful heart, which is found in and grounded in God.

I love a challenge, whether it’s helping my Family with a project, trying a new recipe, decorating for a big day at Church, or putting some new organizing ideas to work in the messy closet that always seems so full! So today I want to challenge us with a truth God taught me years ago about joy. I want to challenge each of us to reach up (to Jesus) give up (sin or anything your holding back from God) to get joy.

As Christians we know that we are to have the joy of the Lord and to be “joy filled” we understand that we are to shine as beacons of light for God in this sinful world and to be “salt and light” to others, yet how can we as Christians be “joy filled” all the time? It says in Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Yet for some of us that joy seems to have simply faded, maybe it’s because we have allowed the storms and trials of life to hold our focus or we have allowed the busyness of life to distract us, or maybe you find yourself bound by the chains of your own making and it has stolen your joy, whatever circumstance you are in today I am here to tell you there is hope and help in God.

When we as Christians choose to fix our eyes on the Lord and do right no matter the cost the outcome is always joy because our joy becomes founded in Him. I love Psalms 16:9 where it says “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. When we are doing what’s right and leaving the outcome to God our heart can be glad and our bodies can actually rest in hope, I love that!

As we reach up to Jesus and give up the control of our life, letting God be our anchor we will find that life’s circumstances will not move us. It says in Psalms 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. When circumstances come as they do, when God is our anchor we will not be swayed. Have you ever been on a boat enjoying a beautiful day when suddenly the sky darkens, the clouds roll in and the winds become fierce?

A wise captain anchors the boat so that it doesn’t get blown about and possibly tossed deep into

the storm. When we are anchored to Christ and the fierce storms of life come we will not be

dismayed because we know we are holding fast to the solid fountain of a God that’s in control.

I vividly remember a season in life almost a decade ago that my faith was tested. I have had

migraines for years and that day I woke up with one but having a previously scheduled

Doctor’s appointment about 70 miles from home I decided to keep the appointment and drove

myself there. At the Doctor’s my migraine grew worse and he suggested I either get this new

shot to help my migraine or get someone to drive me home, I decided on the shot and after

receiving it I walked through the Hospital and within minutes I had an allergic reaction to the

shot and was rushed to be given reversal shots. I came to not being able to feel or use my right

arm or leg and after many tests and a Hospital stay I was told I many never walk again.

The next week after many more tests I found myself in a specialists office as he explained to me

what the coming months and years would like with tests appointments, and months of physical

therapy, he then explained that my leg was paralyzed and I would need to get used to the rest of

my life in a wheelchair. I told the Doctor I would put 100% effort into my recovery and the

outcome I would leave to the Lord. You see I had already told the Lord in the Hospital that

whatever He wanted to do with me, to me or through me in this journey I trusted Him, I could

hear God’s still small voice saying to me as the Doctor spoke do you still trust me even if you

never walk again? Yes was my shaky answer. After months of appointments, tests, and PT and

about a year of learning to fully walk again God restored my mobility! I still have a paralyzed

leg and I don’t know a minute without physical pain but much more than that, I saw a Heavenly

Father that loved me, sustained me, and that could be wholly trusted. Time and time again I

saw God orchestrate things for my good and I saw Him take some things that looked impossible

to man that through God became possible. I am grateful that God brought this storm into my

life because my relationship with Him grew so much deeper and richer and God allowed me to

point others to Him through that trial.

I have found that when we become born again Daughters of God, that does not give us a free

pass to bypass all the trials of life. Sometimes we are so busy asking God why and clinging to

the “padded cross” of how we think things should be instead of clinging to the old rugged cross

and realizing God’s grace is always sufficient. What should set us apart from the world is our

trust in Christ, our ”joy filled” life, our faith daily lived out, and our ability to let God loose in

our circumstances rather than trying to forever gather them together and control them

ourselves. Remember it is God we serve and when our joy is in Him our joy meter can always

be full.

I read a story of Queen Mary who one day was walking with some Children along the street

when it started to rain, she quickly took cover on a nearby porch, knocked on the front door and

asked if she could borrow a umbrella, assuring the Lady she would return it the next day. The

Queen had disguised herself that day in ordinary clothes and a hat so she wouldn’t be easily

recognized, the Lady was reluctant to loan the umbrella not knowing if it would be returned so

she decided to give her a old broken umbrella with holes in it that she didn’t care about, the

Queen politely excepted the umbrella and left. The next day the Lady got another visitor, this

time a man with a fancy gold braided uniform stood before her and held a letter out to the Lady

and he said the Queen asked me to give you this, and to thank you for the loan of your

umbrella, the Lady shocked was silent for a moment and then burst into tears and said, “oh

what a opportunity I missed that I did not give my best” if she had known it was the Queen I’m

sure she would have given her best that day but how much more for us as Christians, because

we serve the King of Kings, to make sure we are giving our best to Him! You can serve without

being spirit filled but you cannot be spirit filled without serving!

It’s so important that we serve with joy and gladness like it says in Psalms 100:2. Let’s not lose

our joy in serving and encouraging others. We all know the story of Martha and Mary. Martha

lost her joy by comparing herself to Mary. She got her eyes off of the Saviour and instead on the

circumstances around her and she lost her joy, if you like Martha have lost your joy, check your

motive, ask yourself why am I doing this? Am I doing it for man’s applause or for my own

agenda? Serving isn’t about impressing others instead it’s all about our expression of love to

God. So the next time you and I feel like the trials of life are closing in and crushing us,

remember that God holds us in the palm of His hand and He will never apply more pressure

than necessary, so take the challenge today and reach up to Jesus, give up anything that’s

holding you back, and get joy!