joy is built

Joy is not happiness... it's better.

Joy doesn't require getting what you want or having your say.

Joy isn't an absence of difficulty, pain or rejection.

Joy is not circumstantial.

Joy is built on unseen values like hope and tangible actions like faithfulness as a bedrock.

For anyone out there who is worn down by "loved ones" who do unloving things...

by "friends" who slide in and out of your life like strangers...

by "adults" who act childish and kids who insist they're grown up...

I'm with you. I'm praying for you (let me know how).

Let's find joy together. I'm finding it in fixing my eyes on Jesus, who...

"...for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

what is your ring?

As you head into another round fo working hard, or are feeling burdened, I'm reminded of a quote from the Lord of the Rings.

"Frodo" has taken on the hard task of holding a ring that is full of darkness and dread as he and his companions journey to destroy it. By this point he is worn down and not sure how to proceed:

Frodo: "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this would have happened."

Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times but that is not for us to decide. All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us."

What is your "ring?"

May you not be at the mercy of your fatigue.

May you not even at the mercy of your desire to make a difference.

May you instead live fully in the Story of God at work in your life, whether you are high-fiving Him, questioning Him or not yet aware of Him. If I can be a part of your journey as a companion or pray for you in any way, send me a note.

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:20)

good deeds can distract you from God

It's noble to want to do something for God.

It can also be a distraction.

Perhaps Tim Hansel put it best in "You Gotta Keep Dancing"

“We may desire to bring to the Lord our perfect work. We would like to point, when all our work is done, to the beautiful ripened grain, and the bound-up sheaves.

And yet the Lord frustrates our plans, shatters our purposes and lets us see the wreck of all of our hopes, breaks the beautiful structure we thought we were building and catches us up in His arms and whispers to us,

‘It’s not your work I wanted, but you.’”

Good deeds... can actually distract you from God.

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.(Isaiah 64:6)

the unnecessary act of rediscovering hope

Your circumstances may look unmovable and unbeatable.

Your soul may feel like dust.

Your heart may feel like stone.

Your mind may feel like oatmeal.

Your body may feel like ooze.

All of this can cause your most repetitive question to change - no longer do you wonder if there is a remedy as much as you wonder if there is hope, and how you can rediscover it.

I have some Good News.

Hope doesn't need to be rediscovered, for it is never lost.

The real issue is that rough circumstances abrasively create the same consequences as sandpaper - as we are ground up and rubbed raw, the dust begins to fly and gets into our eyes.

We just can't see.

God hasn't moved, nor has He moved the hope of hope.

This is where a church community of people who seek out the Word of God with you is most valuable. When particles of earth's problems blind our eyes, we must rely on the birds-eye view of our Creator. Others who know Him well can see Him and hear Him, translating real words of encouragement into you. Some may get tongue-tied and accidentally offer you a cliche, but their heart is good... and even if you take issue with their presentation, resonate with the vision they have of God that you may be missing out on.

But be warned... some spiritual-sounding people may only add to the dust. The book of Job shows that even the best of friends with the best of intentions may be immature in their faith and advice. Of course, that doesn't matter... for they may be as blind as you, but at least are trying to read God like braille.

The real truth is that hope is still there.

Once again, the real truth is that hope... is still there.

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)