RSS

Tag Archives: Joy

James 1:2-3

20 Jan

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

James 1:2-3

Dear God, I had a trouble this morning, but it was of my own making. I let fear and lack of faith drive me to a dark place of anger and retribution. I lashed out at someone I shouldn’t have, and as I think about it, I think it boils down to the fact that I was worried and I didn’t bring my worry and fear to you. I didn’t let the fruit of love, patience, kindness, self control, and gentleness flow through me. Instead, I went back to my carnal motivations and actions. I am ashamed. I’m ashamed before you. I’m ashamed before the person I lashed out at. I am sorry.

So what is the opportunity for great joy here? I’m writing this on MLK Day, and I’m preparing to go to a ceremony at the courthouse at noon. Black people and people of all different races have experienced troubles of many kinds in this country that I’ve never faced. But what did someone like Dr. King do? He considered it an opportunity for great joy. His faith was tested, his endurance grew, he changed the world, and even though he suffered assassination, you even used that to continue his legacy.

As for my joy in my mistake, it’s to learn, do better, and then teach others from my mistakes. The stakes are much lower for me than they were for any person of color regarding the suffering they’ve experienced, but maybe it’s a stepping stone for me as I likely have more troubles before me.

Father, I will consider this day joy. Help me to love you well. I give you my praise, any glory that starts to come my way, and honor. I am sorry for how I failed you and others this morning. I believe. Help my unbelief.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 20, 2025 in James

 

Tags: , , , ,

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

07 May

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear God, I need more faith today. I need more peace. I have something big happening at work today. I feel pressure for it to go well, and I am just going over and over it again in my head. But as I’ve prayed about this, you’ve told me that I need to change my perspective a little.

I’m being vague. Let me be direct. We have our most important fundraising event of the year for our nonprofit tonight. My temptation is to make this a time of trying to get as much money from the attendees as I can. But you reminded me of something recently. Our organization has a vision statement that says that ministering to our donors and volunteers is as important as ministering to our clients. Well, tonight, we will have about 260 people in a room and they need to feel a sense of your presence and love as much as the 59-year-old man who was in my office yesterday needed a sense of your presence. The outcomes for the attendees are as important as the outcomes for our clients. Really, the financial outcome for the Center is secondary. This is a chance to bless people.

Father, keep my head in this space all day. Help me to live these verses of being joyful, thankful, and continuously prayerful.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on May 7, 2019 in 1 Thessalonians

 

Tags: , , ,

Romans 15:13

18 Mar

Romans 15:13 [NLT]
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, what a great thing for me to pray for others. To pray for my children that you would completely fill them with joy and peace because they trust you. That they will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s also a great thing to pray for my wife, my extended family, the significant others of my children, my coworkers, my friends, etc.

And how about myself? Do I trust you so much that you completely fill me with joy and peace? Sometimes. Do I overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit? Occasionally I get there. How can I be a better example of this?

I guess it starts by deciding in what or whom I put my trust. I confess that it is usually me. I usually look to my own solutions. My own ideas. My own skills. But guess what—that method never leads me to joy and peace. Even if it all works out, there is an emptiness to it.

Right now, I am facing a couple of significant challenges at work. I know I have brought one of them to you in prayer and you seem to be moving, but as I sit here and type this, I realize that I have been trying to do the others in my own strength. I have not brought them to you in prayer. I have not put my hope and trust in you to get them resolved. And guess what. About one of my challenges I am feeling peace and joy and about the other two I am not.

Father, help me to surrender my whole life to you so that I might experience your peace and joy. Please guide me in my challenges. Please provide for the needs I have and the needs for which I am responsible at work, in my home, and in my community. Help me to turn it all over to you so that you might use my life to ripple through time as you need it to.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
1 Comment

Posted by on March 18, 2019 in Romans

 

Tags: , , , ,