Are You in the Dark too? Week 3 of Joy Series

After a long drive, my daughter arrived at home to discover nothing worked.

No lights.

No tv.

No phone.

Until she went to another section of the house.

Without a clue to what could possibly be wrong, she was too tired to figure it out. Besides, she could get by with half the house working she decided.

By day two, she was a bit annoyed. What’s a girl to do without a tv? She finally called me, “Something is wrong with the house and I don’t know what it is.”

Sounds like a line I give to my husband now and then when he asks what’s wrong with me. “I don’t know what it is.”

Ever have a time when the joyless day turns into a joyless month…and you don’t know why?

I did.

This summer.

It was so gradual; I didn’t even recognize that I had crawled on a sled on an icy slope. It began when my normal routine went awry. Time with Jesus was shortened; time in bed lengthen. A speeding ticket here, family stress there and instead of running to Jesus, I just ran.

And my heart became rough.

I was sandpaper in my home. I went to bed irritated and woke up mad. I didn’t even want to be around me!

Finally I got tired of me and decided I was over it! Done with being angry and mean.

I knew the solution.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”  John 15:11. In the Greek, be complete, is pleroo: to fulfill, make full, to be filled, full, compelte.

Jesus said, “I have told you this…” Told me what?

In the verses before He said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” John 15:5, 10 (NIV)

That’s what was wrong with me; there was a connection problem. Just like there was for Mariah.

Mariah didn’t know a storm had passed through, knocking out the power. It was an easy fix; she simply had to locate the fuse box and flip the breaker. Then power would be restored.

I failed to recognize that the storms passing through my life had knocked out my power too; my joy. The Father tells us “…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Like Mariah, I had chosen to sit in the dark rather than find the simple fix. I needed to locate the fuse box of thanksgiving and flip the breaker of speaking out gratitude.

Over the past week, I have returned to remaining in Jesus by having a thankful heart.

Is life perfect again?

Nope.

My car insurance is still doubled and my family stress continues. But my power has been restored! I once again have a thankful heart, looking for things to be grateful for and speaking words of gratitude.

Let me tell you…I am sure my family is grateful too!

What is one thing you are grateful for today? Let’s get the joy rolling on this Monday morning!

The winner from of last week’s Faith Builder Pack is Acts 11 who posted on August 30, 2012. Congratulation! Please contact me with your name and address and I’ll get it right out!

Lynn

12 Comments

  1. Becky Horton says:

    This ministry is such a gift to me -I am encouraged and I sharing what I learn with
    With other -thank for your heart Becky

  2. modupe ashiwaju says:

    i’m gratefull for strength & provision

  3. Wow! Now I know that I’m not the only one going without power. Lol. Thank you for your post. I needed to remeber that in every situation I have to be thankful.

    1. Rosalba…I really struggle with this! I was just studying joy again this morning. I had hardly gotten up from my chair when I felt agitated!

  4. I’m thankful that we discovered a leaky pipe in our wall. The pipe was leaking near electric wires and could have started a fire so many times. Now we’re without hot water but it’s a small price to pay compared to what could have happened.

    1. Oh my! That is dangerous!

  5. I’m thankful that no matter what is going on in my life God has a purpose and a plan.
    Right now there is too much going on and “I” can’t handle it, but “HE” can.

    Also, I’m working on music for my women’s retreat at the end of the month. Psalms 91. I actually have too many songs and have to weed them out.
    Thanks you Lord for music.♫

    1. Deena, what a blessing you will be to others with worship!

  6. Your devotional has been so uplifting to me. I have had so many things thrown at me to try to bring me down in the last few months. Mainly, I’m still recovering from a major surgery, we had major repair to our geothermal heat pump (went 10 days w/out ac), and have had a loss of income. But despite all that, God has provided for us and we don’t have to look far to see others in much worse conditions (in our own community). It is hard to find friends who don’t want to run the other way when you are undergoing trials, which has caused my loss of joy the most. But I have found through this that God has put me in positions to help others that need it and my husband has been so supportive. Isn’t that what should being us joy?

    1. I am so glad it was encouraging friend! I am so sorry that you’re friendships have not been supportive when you have needed them the most. It is so comforting to know that Jesus doesn’t run from us! How wonderful that you are giving encouragement to others when you yourself need encouragement!

  7. Oh how I wish we were friends. I could really use a Christian woman friend to gain Godly wisdom and a new perspective!
    Lynn, your writing is so applicable in my life.
    God bless you!

    1. We can be! I am so happy to come alongside in any way I can! Just post your comments, questions, etc. and I’ll do my best to answer them. Thank you for blessing me by sharing how my writing blesses you!

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