Joyful or Joyless

Are you a joyless, hopelessly burdened and defeated Christian? (Our Daily Bread) Or are you a Christian with -

Abundant life (John 10:10)
Fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10c)
Casting your burdens on Him (Psalm 55:22, 81:6; Isaiah 9:4, 10:27)
Victorious (1Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 5:4)
Hopeful (His hope doesn’t disappoint – Psalm 38:15, 39:7, 42:5; Romans 5:5)

More and more I hear Christians saying, “I can do nothing apart from Christ” and, yes, this is a true statement, however the emphasize seems to be more on the I CAN DO NOTHING than on the rest of the statement. They walk around defeated, hopeless, burdened, joyless. For some reason we fail to move forward onto the rest of what God’s Word has to say, it is a martyred mentality – “if I’m not suffering, then I must be doing something wrong”. There is enough suffering going around for us without grabbing onto and camping on that ONE negative statement. Let us move on and camp on those most wonderful promises that God has given us to help us rise up on wings of eagle and to have hinds feet on high places. We have a choice…

Once again I am reminded of that passage in Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (side note – lest you think that the writer of this letter was kicking back with absolutely no suffering, may I remind you that the writer of this book was Paul, who had been beaten, put in prison, shipwrecked, stoned, etc. [see 2 Corinthians 11:25-30]. I would think Paul knew what he was talking about).

What are some of the wonderful promises that we have in God’s Word for us who have put our hope and faith upon the One who will never disappoint us, JESUS CHRIST:

With our God we can leap over a wall (2 Samuel 22:30)
We are friends of God (John 15:15)
We are sons (and daughters) of the King of kings (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6)
If God be for us who can be against us (Romans 8:31)
Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:32-39)
We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13)

And if this wasn’t enough, when we leave this earth we will be with Our Beloved Jesus for all eternity where He will wipe away every tear, there will be no more sorrow, nor pain (Revelation 21:4) – Hallelujah!

If we think upon these things, instead of being a “joyless, hopelessly burdened and defeated Christian”, we will be JOYFUL, HOPEFUL, VICTORIOUS Christians – Amen!