Endure with Joy, I think is a beautiful phrase that describes His Church well, and I am proud to be a part of this family.
2023 has come and is almost gone. Many people will have different stories to tell as they think back on a year which has presented many up and downs. I imagine for most there have been enough downs through the year for us all to agree; 2023 has had its challenges.
I’m wondering how as Christians, we are all dealing with the ongoing challenges of the days we’re living in? So many of us have been raised to believe that the Lord sorts our problems out, and so often we simply refuse to accept that God would allow our problems, so we focus our hope on the change we want or need. And while we all have had the occasional breakthroughs and miracles when we have needed them most, it is also true that very often, despite our prayers and our focused hopes, many times things don’t always simply work out.
Before I go on, let me say this without a trace of doubt or unbelief, “our Father in heaven, is GOOD”. I can almost hear the relief on your breath. But remember that good doesn’t always mean that His goodness works itself out in the way that we would want or think we need.
Rather, His goodness assures us, that He is a good father. He knows what we need, what we can endure and what good can comes from our endurance. You see His eyes on the end game, on who He is forming us to be.
As parents, we want the best for our children. But we know for them to grow and mature and become strong in themselves, there are circumstances and situations that we will choose to support them through, but not remove them from. To remove the child, is to spoil the child, but to walk with them through their trials, will always mature the child.
As we close out the year, know that our good father is fashioning something in you as he has walked with you through it all and he is using the hardship and the challenges to do just that. In fact, I would confidently say, He is proud of the believer who is able to hold on, and to let their faith grow as they endure with joy. These are the ones, His children who are harnessing the day, being pressed in the olive grove, for the oil vats to overflow in the days ahead.
Nobody knows what the year 2024 holds, but we do know, as we end in joy, we are ready to lay hold of the year ahead, because we have been fathered well.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.