Joy & Muddling

SCRIPTURE: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

THOUGHT: I have a perplexing relationship with joy, and I wonder if that strikes a chord with any of you? My sister-in-law, Shirley, sets a benchmark for me, telling me that she feels joy every day, while I think I might bring up the end of the line in that category. I don’t feel jealous of her, but I do feel incredibly glad to know a few people who seem to experience joy routinely because that gives me hope. They have the same griefs and trials I do, but like a bobber returning to the surface after being tugged down, they have a buoyancy that escapes me. I muddle. But, in my muddling and lighter moments, I also see how my faith is being proven – and that is worth more than gold. At the big reveal, maybe I will have some happy surprises as Peter suggests. The more I think about it, the more I am sure that we will all be a little over-the-top with joy on that day!

PRAYER: Lord, I confess that I muddle through so many days, perplexed about the joy Scripture promises us who believe. Bring the joy – but if you never bring it like I expect, bring steadfastness and living hope. And thank you for keeping even this Eeyore under your protection until the big reveal. I love you!