When God??...Steals Your Joy.

Written by Miss Rachel

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."
~ James 1:2 ~

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"God, why have you allowed this to happen?", you may ask. It's happened...the thing you've feared the most. Your father lost his job and now your family will be hard pressed to pay the bills this month....will you lose your home?

"God, I don't understand!", you say as tears stream down your face. Why did you take my baby brother away...couldn't you have healed him?

"God, I am so angry right now!! I am just so tired of the cruel things that happen in this wretched world!"

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Have you ever felt like any of the above? I know I have. This life is TOUGH! :( Sometimes it's very hard to keep a godly perspective isn't it?

Speaking from experience here...it's very difficult for me to have the attitude God wants me to have when trials and hardships come into my life. The first thing I may want to do is scream, or burst into tears, or just sit and glare at the wall. Sometimes, I may even get angry at God for letting the bad things happen. But through the years God has shown me some things that I want to now share with you, in the hopes that God will use it to encourage you and bring you...JOY. :)


Sin

First we as Christians need to recognize why there are so many hardships and evils in this world. That is because of sin. Our own sin. You may know the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3); how satan disguised as a serpent came a long and tempted Adam and his wife, Eve into sin. They listened; they disobeyed God; sin entered the world. Sin is hurtful, unloving, unjust, unkind, a home-wrecker. It destroys everything it touches.

This is the first reason why "bad things happen". But Jesus Christ has given us the victory, if we have accepted Him as our Saviour. The bad things of this world will one day pass away. Sin will not win. We have "a blessed hope". :) But for now God allows sin in this world to show others that they desperately need Him - a good and loving, mighty to save, God. :)

God brings trials

We know from the Bible that God is in control over this world. He is a loving, gracious, and good God. So why then does He allow the bad things to happen? Why does He allow trials and hardships? This verse below gives us a clue:

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience... Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." ~ James 1:2-3, 12

God allows us to go through trials to mold and shape us into the women (or men) He wants us to be. :) The Bible says He tries us as gold (1 Peter 1:7; Job 23:10)...and the refining process sometimes hurts more than we'd like. Besides that, God has taught me that He can use *any* circumstance to bring Him glory and honor...to show others His love so they will come to know Him.

Would we wish away our trials if God would bring someone to know Him better or strengthen their faith? Or if He would use this difficult time to teach me to rest in Him and draw me to Himself? No my friend...I know I would not. :) So I will try to be thankful for the hard times and try to have the right attitude so that God can use it for His glory.

"...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." ~ Psalm 30:5b

"Blessings"
by Laura Story

"...What if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know Your near?
And what if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?"

Choosing Joy

If you look, you will find God's Word flooded with verses of praise to God, verses encouraging us to be joyful, and verses of His faithful promises. :) The best way to have joy is to choose it! We don't have to go around with our heads in our hands, my dear sisters in Christ...no, God has given us the victory through His Son, Jesus Christ! So why then do we walk around in a sad and pitiful state? As His daughters we are secure and nothing that happens in this life will ever change that! :D

God wants us to choose JOY!!! :D

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." ~ Psalm 16:11

So the next time you are facing difficult trial, whether that be just fighting temptations like disobeying your mother...or something much more difficult like job loss or the loss of a loved one - remember that God is in control and has allowed this trial to come to teach you, and others, something about Himself. :) Listen and choose to have a godly attitude (pray and God will help you with this!). Seek God's word...spending time with Him each day (and even many times a day!) helps us to remember that we serve a loving God who knows all our struggles and trials and knows our hearts. We can trust that He knows what He is doing with us.

"But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." ~ Psalm 5:11

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"You Are God Alone"

"...and right now, in the good times and bad
You are on Your throne!
You are God alone!"

"As Long As You Are Glorified"

"...You still reign in the deepest valley,
You're still God in the darkest night...
Oh, I long for nothing else as long as You are glorified!"

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So my friends, it is not *GOD* that robs you of your joy, but instead, it is that of allowing yourself to dwell on all the bad in this world and losing focus from our good, great, ALMIGHTY GOD! Don't allow *satan* and your flesh to rob you of your joy! Focus on the mighty power and love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and His faithful promises that He's given us in His Word! :)

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Romans 15:13)
~Rachel~