Still Have Joy

It is a rarity that life will turn out exactly as you envisioned it. We all have hopes and dreams, many of which we’ve held since we were little girls. But the problem is all of our hopes and dreams are positive. No one ever wishes to go through trials and difficult times, so when they occur we are crushed beyond disappointment because it was not a part of our plan.

However, God turns our misery into ministry.

“So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” - John 16:22 NLT

So, how can you still have joy when life is not working out according to your plan?

Well, first of all we must know that God has a plan for us as well. His plan is for our good and for His glory. The difference between our plan for our life and God’s plan for our life is focus. We are focused on the desired destination, whereas God is focused on the journey.

God is preparing us to handle the destination, which is why our journey sometimes takes unexpected turns. One of the simplest ways to illustrate this is by thinking of a flight. Think about when you on the plane and the captain announces, Ladies and Gentlemen please fasten your seatbelts as will encounter some turbulence ahead.

Now of course turbulence wasn’t a part of your plan, but you comply with the instructions of the authoritative figure on the plane. Sometimes, the captain will announce he’s going up to a higher altitude to avoid some of the turbulence.

Now both options provide valuable instructions for life. Comply with the instructions of the authoritative figure in your life - God. Or go up to a higher altitude - spend time with God who sits high and looks low.

Think about your view from an airplane. Everything looks so small, but also note you can see far more than you can from the ground. Well, the same is true about life. Because God sits high and looks low, He sees how miniscule our problems are in the whole scheme of His plan.

He also sees the whole picture rather than just the small piece we have access to called our current circumstance. Since God has a better view, trust Him to lead you through the journey of life (just as you trust the pilot to get you to your destination safely).

So even when things aren’t going according to your plan, you can still have joy because you know God is not only in control but that it's in those times that He's carrying you.

Examples of Joy: The Story of Two Amazing Women

I have two friends that are just amazing women. Both are modest, so I will not reveal their names nor their entire story (let’s just call them Angel 1 and Angel 2). However, I would like to share a portion of their story to provide an example of how it’s possible to still have joy even when life is difficult.

Despite the challenging circumstances of their lives, these women are two shining examples of what it means to still have joy. Instead of asking why, they have learned to ask who - who is the God that sustains me through all of this?

The first, Angel 1, is a breast cancer survivor. She’s single and is as sweet as can be. To look at her you would never know the depth of her struggle. Always smiling and encouraging others. However, this courageous woman cared for her ailing mother with Alzheimer’s and held weekly sessions to teach women about how to deal with cancer, all while going back and forth to the doctor for radiation therapy to battle breast cancer.

As if that’s not enough for a lifetime, within the span of about nine months, she lost her mother, her cancer came back and then she lost her job. I think many of us would have thrown the ultimate pity party given these circumstances, but I had dinner with her the other day and once again her smile was ever-present. Her conversation was uplifting and about her God, ‘my faith is getting me through this’, she said.

As I tried to convince her that maybe this is an opportunity to just rest and spend time with God, she politely asked ‘do you know of anyone who’s hiring?’ Her resolve to keep going and focus on God and others is so inspiring to me. After speaking to or thinking of her, I often ask myself ‘what in the world do I have to complain about?' If Angel 1 can still have joy despite everything she’s been through and continues to go through, then surely I can.

Then there’s my other friend, Angel 2. Her story is just as inspiring. Her husband has a terminal illness. He can no longer walk, has no control over his bodily functions, requires around the clock care and has Alzheimer’s, yet I don’t think I’ve ever seen Angel 2 without a smile.

In fact each time she shares a story about something else that has happened, I often say to her ‘ I don’t know how you keep a smile on your face at all times.’ Her simple response to me, ‘is why let it get you down?’

She always tells me it’s a joy to take care of her husband because God allowed him to take such good care of her and her children for so many years. Besides, she says. ‘I don’t know how much more time I will have with him, so I want to enjoy the time we have left together.’ Wow, what perspective!

This is a woman who literally does more before 8:00AM, than most people do all day. Even more so now that her mother was recently injured and is living with her. She now takes care of her mom and her husband. As if that is not enough, she also has a challenging job.

But rather than view it as a challenge, she told me not long ago it’s her ministry. She shared, ‘I can’t do a lot of ministry activity because I need to be home to take care of my husband and mother, but when my employees or coworkers come to me share a hardship or explain the challenges that are impacting their job performance, I help them.’

She said, ‘whether it’s an encouraging word, money to pay their light bill or food to eat, I make sure they leave my office better than when they entered…because this is my ministry.’

Wow! For some reason, God thought enough of me to allow my path to cross these two wonderful women and because He has, I count them as blessings from above. They both are truly inspiring and I pray that God continues to give them strength and bless them abundantly for the glory and honor they bring to His Name.

Surely, neither of them imagined their life would end up this way, but they are true examples of what it means to still have joy. Some of us have not endured even a third of what these two ladies have and some maybe a bit more. But the same God that restores them daily and give them strength and joy for the journey is the God that will do the same for you.

He’s the same God that allowed His Son to die on the cross so that we might have an opportunity to experience His joy. Oh yeah, I still have joy!

It’s so easy to complain, but it takes strength of character to see the hand of God at work in our lives even though it may feel as if He has abandoned us. Thank God, He promises never to leave or forsake us. Oh what a joy it is to know and trust the truth of His Word.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” - James 1:2-4 NIV

"God points to the peaceful attitude of suffering people to teach others about Himself." – Joni Eareckson Tada

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