“You are the problem!”

People are smiling less and less. Far too many reasons to look into and to try to understand the motives why smiling is fading away. Why are people turning away from being joyous remains perhaps a mystery for many of us? Some individuals may attempt to say it is because of the current political and societal conflicts.

But if we would give it an honest eye, we might understand that at the core of people’s joy is not something that is. Rather something is missing from their lives. Pointing fingers at others insisting on their issues and why I am unhappy is easy. Pointing out that because of them my joy is prejudiced. It is a natural and natural thing people do. It is rather sad when the brothers and sisters in a congregation follow the same traits.

Not sure what or where the problem is, but if we are to be honest with ourselves, we might discover that pointing the finger is a useless effort. As I mentioned above, we are fooled by the fact that because of something joy is fading away. However, I would like to challenge that by analyzing the issues with honesty to restore a joyous heart and attitude and to remove blame from others to myself. You might be surprised to hear that because something is missing joy is missing as well. It is rather interesting to think of this. Joy is missing because something is missing, and you might be intrigued to know what that might be and how can it be. Well, the life journey is not always what we expect, especially as Christians. God has given His only begotten Son for us to be full of joy and live an abundant life. I am hoping so far you can at least notice that what God has done is there up for grabs and blaming God for your sadness is ludicrous.

“Nothing is missing!”

I am utterly amazed to observe how unhappiness is present in the fellowship of the saints. I am questioning if it is fellowship, since we are not happy being in the same room with other people we like not. Some would say, that as long as the service is moving ahead without disruptions, we should be fine. That is far beyond the point of fellowship. The definition of being together is to encourage and edify others and the other way around. Yet, if a gathering is missing this, then we are nothing more than a crowd. Not too much different than a cheering football fan club.

We are not to be deceived by crowding. But to understand that the church is the body of Christ and there should happen something more. Since he died for us to live an abundant life, you might already think that in most people that abundance is missing. Surely, not because there is a special recipe for it, but because Christ is not living fully in us. There are no 7 steps to an abundant life. There is no 3 months commitment to attain it. It only needed a leap of faith and surrender. That might be missing.

Perhaps you might be satisfied already thinking of this. However, many of us took that leap of faith in following Christ. Yet the surrendering has not fully happened. And that leads to greater disruptions in our lives. One of them is not living abundantly and constantly questioning God’s restoring power. Yet, how can that have happened when we a foot is kept on the other old life, side? Is impossible, even for God. Because He gave the life to you, so is for you to take it and accept it on His terms, because is God who gives it. Those terms are not made up, but what is required to enjoy it as God does. Do not think for a second that God has not obeyed those terms.

I hope that so far, you and you can conclude that we have wrongly pointed a finger at other people and perhaps even to God.

“Pointing out.”

Intriguing as it is, we have not yet reached the centre of the issue. And if it feels like the journey takes time and patience, perhaps would be a good idea to have a reflective time and analyze how willing were you to take the 7 steps and wait 3 months to attain joy, if someone had offered you that. Yet Christ offers a leap of faith to be taken, and we hesitate and doubt that would have any effect on our lives. I would like to point out that being doubtful about it is disbelief. The leap requires belief. You can’t think that jumping over a fence, won’t take you on the other side. If you are in disbelief, you will not even attempt to jump. Since that has not happened, we can now justly point the finger where the issue is.

Abundant life is like a flood that fills everything and goes everywhere. There is no hidden place where it cannot be found. But that can only happen if we have surrendered through faith our old life to Christ. Again, we circle back to faith and that foot is kept on the old side. There cannot be joy in a child of God if the old traits have not been changed by God. That can only happen by trusting Him to renew all your life, even the things you think are good. God is holy and our good to Him is sin. When he renews someone’s life, even the good things are renewed to a holy purpose. Good is not equal to holy and our good may not be the good God has for us.

“I am!”

No one would doubt that, once we believe and have surrendered to God, he is living in us through the Holy Spirit. That is a certain assurance. However, even children are sometimes disobedient and so can we be. Disobedience to God is sin and it can lead to a sinful status. King David wrote a rather powerful psalm asking for forgiveness, restoration, and joy. They were lost because of sin. Notice what he says about joy. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (Psalm 51:12, KJV) The problem was not salvation, but joy. He was sad and miserable and disgraced because of sin. That is what sin does in our life. It takes away the joy of living freely and abundantly. There is a clear cut, in having a sinful nature and sinning. When God is living in us, we attain the ability to know the difference between sin and holiness. You might have noticed that generally people are good at making the difference between what is good and wrong. However, this is fading away as well, since we live in the last days of creation. Nonetheless, reflect on Psalm 51 and try and identify where has joy been stumped over by sin. Take time for you with God to be restored unto living freely and joyously. Proclaiming afterwards his goodness and grace unto those who search for it. Once, you together with God, sin is pointed out, let Him instruct you and accept to be taken out of your life so you can restore the joy. No one else can do that, but God Himself since He is the one who had redeemed us, He will restore us. It is for you to lay out all that there is because God desires not just to be happy, but abundantly joyous. Especially in the fellowship of the saints.