The joy of the Lord is free and can be experienced through trials and joyful times of your life. The key to this joy has never changed: your relationship with God.
Mikos, me, Mike and SonjaJenny, me, and Sonja
Will, Jenny, Mikos and Maddie
Galatians 5:22-23 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Russ, Jacob, Sonja and Lucas
Feeding Your Soul
Galatians 5:22-23 is a recipe for living. In order to have joy you must first have love. Love is the yeast in the bread of life. I have made bread before, and the yeast causes the carbon dioxide to form into the tiny bubbles that cause it to rise. The yeast also helps with the flavor of the bread and with the hardness of the crust.
After love comes joy, and with love and joy you will always have peace. That peace will help you overcome difficult situations or people who attempt to rob you of your joy. Peace is attained through prayer and trusting God to guide you through this maze of life.
Peace In the Family
We are a very colorful, dynamic family, but we do not always get along. I have two adult children who do not always agree with one another. I never take sides because as a parent this would cause division. I pray, and pray until I see the Lord’s hand in the situation. It’s amazing what prayer combined with patience can accomplish. In the midst of the storm, there is no better place to be than in your prayer closet.
I know of a few parents who have chosen to take sides, and the results were disastrous. When a parent takes a side it complicates matters. The other sibling feels rejected and develops a deeper disdain for the favored child. No one will ever win in this scenario, and it makes it difficult to honor a parent who chooses this path.
Patience
Patience, for me, is a challenge. I hate to wait for anything. But praying has taught me to become more patient. When it’s in God’s hands, He will be the one to lead me out of the storm. Life’s storms have become darker, and the Enemy is out to destroy families. We must remain steadfast in prayer and patiently wait on the Lord.
The definition of patience:
Patience
noun
1. The quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.
I am a work in progress. On my way to sainthood, I stumble constantly because of complaints and irritations. It will be a long journey for me!
Kindness
Kindness is a matter of the heart; in order to be kind, you must have a pure heart. Kindness is an action that does not desire reciprocation. It comes naturally, encompassing thoughtfulness. I recently went to lunch with my friend Helen. When I ordered tea, she knew that this particular restaurant did not carry the sweetener that I use; so when the tea arrived, Helen handed me packages of the brand that I use. Her kind gesture made my heart glad.
Generosity
You give until you have no more. This is what the widow did in 1 Kings 17:14; she gave everything she had. What did she get in return? Her sons life and she never went hungry. Even people who have little give because they trust that God will supply. A truly generous person never worries about money, food or clothing because they understand how God provides.
1 Kings 17:14 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.”
Faithfulness
Faith is trusting God even if it takes a lifetime. That is what St. Monica did; she never once gave up believing that her loved ones would one day serve God. After sixteen years of prayer for her abusive husband and unkind mother-in-law, St. Monica experienced the joy of her answered prayers. Both her husband and mother-in-law were baptized into the Christian faith. Her wayward son Augustine, however, would take a lifetime of prayer. She never gave up on St. Augustine, who became one of the greatest theologians and a Doctor of the Church.
Gentleness
My cat Prudie has a kidney disorder. Both Mike and I are gently caring for her. When she wakes up at 3 a.m. I get up to make sure she has plenty of fresh water to drink. Mike made her a comfortable place to sleep in his office. The way we treat our pets in these situations makes us aware of how we would like to be treated in our lives as we age.
My Prudie
My sister Norma cared for our mother in a gentle, loving manner. I could never have stepped into that role, but my sister felt called to do this. From her loving experience as our mother’s caregiver, Norma now works for an assisted living facility in Arizona. The Lord was training her for her new career.
Self-Control
There are many aspects to self-control. I understand the most important one: to control my tongue. The many times I’d wish to tell someone what I was truly thinking, my self-control kicked in to automatic and my tongue was muffled into silence. This is a lesson of spiritual, maturity and it took me a long time to discern that it was part of my growth.
I have little self-control when it comes to shopping; please pray for me!
Using Our God-Given Tools
God gave us The fruits of the spirit to help us live a spiritual life. If you are complaining, putting others down because they have hurt you, where has it gotten you? If you are this person, do not be surprised when you feel isolated. No one wants to be around a toxic person. Pray for God to get you out of this negative talk; only then will you be able to experience the joy of the Lord.
My prayer
Lord, I pray for those who are stuck in their self-pity believing that they are right. There is so much You have in store for them if they would surrender all their hurts to You. Open their hearts to love and move mightily in their lives. Amen.
