As Jesus approached the tomb of His friend Lazarus, He “wept” (John 11:35). Then the account says that He arrived at the tomb “groaning in Himself” (v.38). We need to dispense with the idea that spiritually mature people never hurt and never cry.
Even for the person of extraordinary spiritual strength, it is hard to keep a positive focus on God when the body is not able to function normally or is racked with pain. What, then, should be our attitude toward physical impairments or diseases?
An admission of our weakness is the only way to be truly strong. Not only that, it’s the only way to make progress. We can’t really be useful to the Lord until our pride has been broken, perhaps by some lifelong “thorn in the flesh” that humbles us.
God offers us life, and His offer is an invitation. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ . . . Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Who in his right mind would turn down this, the greatest of all invitations?
God can give us many wonderful blessings, and these are not insignificant motivators to the devout life. But none of these come close to the joy of giving glory to God: the sheer joy of taking our rightful place in the symphony of His creation.
When we are grounded in the truth about God, we have His promise that all those rightly related to Him through Christ will share in His victory. “In the world you will have tribulation,” Jesus said, “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
On difficult days, we must make up our minds to maintain our faith and obedience, knowing that seasons of spiritual dryness and desolation are only temporary. In time, the feelings we want to have about God will return. Meanwhile, God is still God.
Do you serve God cheerfully on a consistent basis, giving yourself to Him freely and without having to be made to? During times of ease and comfort, do you continue to pour yourself out to God in prayerful reverence and loving thankfulness?
Joy (unlike happiness) does not depend on whether what happens to us is pleasing. Not at the mercy of circumstances, it is grounded in unchangeable truth. And the love that flows from a joyful commitment to truth will give itself and keep on giving.
