Finding Pleasure in Your Pain

Are you overwhelmed? A lot of us are! What if I told you God wanted to give you pleasure in your pain. Would you think I was crazy? Actually, it would mean you were believing the Word of God, more than what you were seeing or feeling. That’s what Paul the Apostle did! He endorsed this seemingly crazy way of thinking when he wrote; “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation [which literally meant, pressures, afflictions, burdens and troubles].” Wow! If this joy that Paul’s talking about is an example of how God responds to life, and if God is truly living in us, then joy should be how we respond to life as well. But, is it really possible to be grieved and joyful at the same time? Absolutely! You might be brokenhearted someone’s died, yet joyful they’re in Heaven. You may be saddened your job’s ending, but joyfully confident God has something better. Here’s a great recipe for how to live: ask God to give you His joy, in the big, fat, middle of your pain.