Count It All Joy

It’s the middle of summer here with no A/C. We’re hot and tired, and over the last month we’ve had myriads of people in and out of the house. Since the beginning of the year not one month has passed where we haven’t hosted visitors or multiple people staying with us. Mixed in with that have been tough conversations with others on difficult ministry matters. So how do we maintain the joy? How do we put one foot in front of the other to continue in obedience? Simple. Our hope, our joy, our strength is not determined by our circumstances but is found in our God. In Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah reminds Israel that it is the joy of the Lord that is their strength. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 helps us maintain our joy when Paul says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” We count it joy when we go through hardships (like overwhelming heat, persecution, tough conversations) because in the end these sorrows and difficulties are eradicated. However, in the midst of them, we get to glorify God and point more to Jesus. On the other end those moments of rest, prosperity, and peace (though temporary) we count as joy because of the reminder of the taste of what is to eternally come.