The Beauty of Joy in Dry Places
Through the prophet Isaiah (35:1-10), God said that the parched desert will be made fertile. The wild places will display a type of beauty never seen before. God, who is the beginning of substance, assures believers that there will be abundance where there is no expectation of increase.
The literal idea of finding beautiful plants in the desert is encouraging. Yet, more encouraging is the analogy of a spiritual desert suddenly bursting forth with beauty.
Christians just finished celebrating the season of Advent, and I must confess that the ceremonies, which included the lighting of candles, reciting litanies and singing hymns, were inspiring. Unfortunately, upon observing the news, the spirit becomes troubled again. Life has a way of moving us into some uncomfortable places. It is at these times of melancholy that believers can turn to the Scripture to find joy.
Paul, sitting in an unventilated jail, wrote a letter to the Philippians talking about the essence of joy in the life of a believer. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This man being persecuted for his faith inside a place devoid of adequate ventilation reminds us that we are more than what we say. He teaches us that we are what we do when times are not conducive to faithful behavior. Paul encourages us to demonstrate, through our actions, that even in the presence of inhospitable people, we are gentle and operate in a spirit of joy.
Paul is not operating in any delusional state. He understands that challenges will come. After all, Paul himself has seen the ugly side of human nature.
Philippians 7 and 8 of Chapter 4 pushes us even further to lean on God, who will protect not only our minds but our hearts. You know, leaning can bring us into a deeper relationship with God. If everything is going well, we minimize the handprint of God in our lives.
Finally, Paul gives us a tool to use when we are in distress. His instruction is to hit the reset button on your mind. It is your task to rid your mind of the trash the world has tried to push into your subconscious: The garbage from social media, the trash from television, the trash laid down by uninformed and misinformed verbal debates that are so prevalent. Paul advises us to think on, or dwell on, those things which confirm the love of God and the provision of God!
As we rest assured of joy in the barren places, please note that you do not just get joy, you receive joy! Joy is given as a gift from God. It is given to believers as we walk through the valley of lack, through the season of adversity; it is that gift that lifts us above the waves of despair. We do not grasp joy. God gives us this precious supernatural covering, but we must receive it. God’s gift is not about working harder or believing more fully. You must receive it by surrendering to the Lord.
As you position yourself to receive joy, remember that surrendering to God is not weakness! Do not revert to that old nature.
The Advent season is over, but the lessons taught are gifts that are available all year round.
