Friday, April 26, 2013

Surprising Joy

The Thessalonians received the Word in much affliction and joy of the Holy Ghost" (1 Thessalonians 1:6). We don't normally associate joy and affliction. But God seems to use affliction to teach us what true joy is. Affliction weeds out superfluid wants, things and ideas. It tends to narrow our focus so that we are disparate to live in God's strength and not our own.

I do not particularly like affliction and certainly do not pray for it to come my way. But I am grateful that when affliction does come my way, I am not abandoned to it. The Holy Spirit is with me and in me to give me his joy (John 14:15, 15:11, 16:24, 17:13)