Joy and Happiness

A few more thoughts on Chapter One of An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell, and also linking up with Fresh Brewed Sunday...

One of the study questions in Chapter One focuses on James 1:2-4…

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4 NLT)

My natural question is – How can I be happy when trouble comes my way? Whether through my own actions or those of another, how can I be joyful through unemployment, illness, loss of a loved one, divorce, and so many other issues we deal with today?

I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about joy and happiness over the past couple of years, and I think it comes down to this... Joy and happiness are not the same.

Joy comes from knowing the Lord and having a personal relationship with Him. Joy is not dependent on our circumstances or the people in our life. It is the deep feeling of contentment in knowing Christ walks beside us every day – through trials, disappointments, and sorrows.

Happiness is dependent on others and life around us. Happiness can be temporary. When things are going well, I feel happy. When life throws me a curve ball, my happiness turns to disappointment, frustration, anger, and sadness.

Life changing situations that cause me unhappiness are the very times my faith and relationship with God can grow deeper and stronger through my dependence on Him.

I can be happy and joyful at the same time, but when something or someone makes me unhappy in my everyday life, my joy still comes from knowing God won’t ever leave me. His love and desire for a relationship with me is forever, no matter what. He stays and gets me through the unhappiness. He can use any situation, happy or otherwise, to prepare me for what He has planned for my future. The knowledge that God wants to refine me and prepare me for the future brings me joy and hope.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (Paul in Philippians 4:4)

In Christ,

Laura

Teaching Through My Imperfectness {5 Minutes for Faith}

Welcome! I’m posting over at 5 Minutes for Faith today…

“As a mother, I’ve observed how my daughter watches me. In some cases, I think she learns more by watching what I do than by listening to what I say.

As a child of God, I want to be a Godly mother, but as a human, I’m a sinful being. With my flaws and insecurities, I’ve been wondering…what do I want my daughter to learn as she watches me?"

Will you meet me at 5 Minutes for Faith today to read the rest of my post? If you have a minute, please leave a comment so I know you stopped by!

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,
Laura

God is Always with Us

Welcome! This week we’re in Chapter One of Micca Campbell’s An Untroubled Heart.

“No matter what our emotions or circumstances may say, the truth is there is nowhere we can go to escape God’s presence. Though it might not feel like it or look like it, God is always near.” (Micca Campbell, An Untroubled Heart)

Can you relate to this? I certainly can! There are times I can’t feel God’s presence. I know He’s near me, but I feel like I can’t get to Him.

I recently wrote about knowing God is with me even when I can’t feel it. It fits this chapter and what’s on my mind so well, I’m going to repost it. If you have read it before, I ask your forgiveness for reposting. (I don’t make it a habit.) However, because I often benefit from rereading my own posts, I’d like to ask you to also reread it.

I Know He’s With Me

by Laura Rath

Sometimes I can’t feel God’s presence…but I know He’s there.

Usually it’s when I’ve hit a feeling of despair…a situation isn’t going well…I’m tired, stressed, or angry…life isn’t going the way I hoped or wanted…and I can’t feel His presence.

But I know He’s there. And sometimes knowing instead of feeling has to be enough.

Those moments of despair are times I can either grow closer and more dependent on God, or turn away from Him. The enemy would love to watch us turn away. He wants us to question God’s love for us, and the enemy knows that in our times of desperation, we are most vulnerable. We are wounded and susceptible to his lies.

That is when I have to rely on what I know, and not on what I feel. I may feel alone, but I know God is with me. When I cry out to Him, I may not hear an answer, but I know He is there.

God’s Word says…

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 NLT)

When I get to those times of crying out, “Where are you, God?!?” I know He’s there, but I long to see and feel Him. Sometimes He answers right away, through a feeling, a Scripture verse, or something that calms me down. But other times, I have to wait…patiently.

Because I know God is there and hasn’t left me, I continue to pray and talk to Him. I must keep myself in God’s Word, trusting in His promises. And I look back at times God showed Himself to me—in His time and His way.

The waiting is not easy, but knowing He’s there helps me wait until I feel it again. The moments of desperation are often when my faith and trust in God can grow the most.

However, I can’t wait only for the times of despair to turn to Him. I must be in His Word at all times or I won’t be prepared for the tough times.

Every school practices fire drills. Why? So that if there ever is a fire, the children know what to do. In an emergency, panic can immobilize us, especially if we are not prepared and don’t know where to go.

When I get to a low point and I can’t feel God’s presence, panic can be immobilizing. It helps greatly if I already know where to go—God’s Word. I start with Scripture verses that are my favorites or have brought me comfort in the past. Then I’ll often let myself continue to read wherever I am in the Bible, and that’s how I find new verses that help me wait on God and bring me peace. I believe He guides us to those verses, knowing what we need to hear from His Word.

There are other things we can do to keep us turned toward God when we are waiting to feel His presence:

- Know that He is there!

- Continue to pray.

- Stay in God’s Word.

- Write out favorite Scripture verses to keep with you at all times.

- Remember other times when you have seen God’s work in your life, remembering that He knows what’s best for us.

- Listen to Christian music.

- Talk with friends or other people who are like-minded in Christ.

- Get enough rest. (Being overtired is sure to affect my thoughts and feelings when things are already not going well.)

Do you have others to add to this list? Please share by leaving a comment.

In Christ,
Laura

An Untroubled Heart Online Study - Week 1

Welcome and thanks for visiting!

If you are participating in the online study of An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell, I'm so glad to have you join us! We have 24 women from 13 states signed up for this study. If you haven't signed up and would like to, it's not too late. Just email me at laurajrath@gmail.com with your name, email address, city and state.

Below you will find the suggested reading schedule for week 1 of the study. Feel free to follow the schedule or go at your own pace. The posts for each week will remain on my blog, so you can read or reread at any time.

Feel free to email me with any questions, and leave a comment on any blog post so I know you stopped by!

Blessings on the New Year!

In Christ,
Laura

Week 1 – Jan. 1-7, 2012

Monday & Tuesday

• Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 “When the Unthinkable Happens.” Underline or highlight points to remember or go back to, or use a journal to record notes and your thoughts. 

Tuesday/Wednesday

• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the weekly post, and leave a comment with your thoughts. (I try to post on Tuesday, but sometimes it’s not until Wednesday.) 

Wednesday & Thursday

·  Reflect on, and answer, the Bible Study Questions at the end of the chapter. (These questions help us go deeper into Scripture and the study, but don’t get stressed out if you can’t, or don’t want to, answer them all.)

Friday

·  Spend time in prayer and reflecting on this week’s reading. This can also be a catch-up day, if needed.