Finding Joy Through Prayer and Gratitude

Devotional

Day 1: Joy as Assurance Beyond Circumstances

Joy is not merely an emotion tied to our current situation but a profound assurance rooted in our relationship with Jesus. It transcends circumstances and is a gift from God, sustained by His presence and comfort. This joy is not dependent on external conditions but is a deep-seated assurance that can coexist with grief and hardship. It is cultivated through continual prayer and gratitude, allowing us to experience God's presence and comfort even in the most challenging times. [01:08:36]

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a current challenge in your life. How can you invite Jesus into this situation to experience His joy and assurance today?

Day 2: The Lifeline of Continual Prayer

Continual prayer is a lifeline that connects us to God, allowing us to experience His joy and peace. Honest and vulnerable conversations with God, even in our struggles, invite His presence and transform our hearts. Through prayer, we are reminded of God's faithfulness and are able to align our hearts with His will, finding strength and resilience in His presence. [01:19:07]

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific struggle you are facing. How can you incorporate continual prayer into your daily routine to invite God's presence and peace into this situation?

Day 3: Gratitude as a Perspective Shifter

Expressing gratitude, even in difficult times, shifts our perspective and centers us in the joy of the Lord. It allows us to see God's faithfulness and goodness, refocusing our hearts and minds. By practicing gratitude, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's work, enabling us to experience joy and peace regardless of our circumstances. [01:21:13]

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)

Reflection: List three things you are grateful for today, even if they seem small. How can expressing gratitude in this way help you see God's faithfulness in your life?

Day 4: Learning from Loss and Grief

Personal loss can teach us about the depth of joy that can coexist with grief. Leaning into our relationship with Jesus during these times reveals the sufficiency of His grace and the power of His presence. Through loss, we can discover a deeper understanding of joy that is not dependent on our circumstances but is a testament to God's enduring love and comfort. [01:12:56]

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time of loss or grief in your life. How did you experience God's presence and comfort during that time, and how can you lean into Him more fully today?

Day 5: Joy as a Fruit of the Spirit

The joy that Paul speaks of is not dependent on circumstances but is a fruit of the Spirit's work within us. It is an outcome of an intimate relationship with Jesus, providing strength and resilience in all situations. This joy is a testament to the sufficiency of God's grace and the power of His presence in our lives, enabling us to live in the fullness of joy that He offers. [01:17:20]

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: Consider how the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life. What steps can you take to cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus to experience His joy more fully?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound and transformative power of joy, prayer, and gratitude, as outlined in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. These verses have served as a blueprint for resilience in my walk with Jesus, especially during challenging times. Joy, as we discussed, is not merely a fleeting emotion tied to our circumstances but a deep-seated assurance that transcends even the most difficult situations. This joy is rooted in our relationship with Jesus and is cultivated through continual prayer and gratitude.

Reflecting on my personal journey, I shared the story of losing my beloved husband, Kelly, and how that experience taught me about the depth of joy that can coexist with grief. Despite the intense sadness, I found that joy was present as I leaned into my relationship with Jesus. This joy was not dependent on my circumstances but was a gift from God, sustained by His presence and comfort.

We also delved into the Apostle Paul's life, who, despite facing numerous hardships, declared that his joy knew no bounds. His life exemplifies how joy can flourish amidst trials, as it is not tied to external conditions but is a fruit of the Spirit's work within us. This joy is a testament to the sufficiency of God's grace and the power of His presence in our lives.

Furthermore, we emphasized the importance of gratitude, even in challenging times. By expressing gratitude, we allow the Holy Spirit to refocus our hearts and minds, centering us in the joy of the Lord. This practice of gratitude shifts our perspective, enabling us to see God's faithfulness and goodness, even in the midst of adversity.

In closing, we were reminded that the joy of the Lord is our strength, and through prayer and gratitude, we can experience this joy in all circumstances. As we continue to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, we are invited to live in the fullness of joy that He offers, trusting in His goodness and grace.

Key Takeaways

1. Joy Beyond Circumstances: Joy is not merely an emotion tied to our current situation but a profound assurance rooted in our relationship with Jesus. It transcends circumstances and is a gift from God, sustained by His presence and comfort. [68:36]
2. The Power of Prayer: Continual prayer is a lifeline that connects us to God, allowing us to experience His joy and peace. Honest and vulnerable conversations with God, even in our struggles, invite His presence and transform our hearts. [79:07]
3. Gratitude in All Things: Expressing gratitude, even in difficult times, shifts our perspective and centers us in the joy of the Lord. It allows us to see God's faithfulness and goodness, refocusing our hearts and minds. [81:13]
4. Learning from Loss: Personal loss can teach us about the depth of joy that can coexist with grief. Leaning into our relationship with Jesus during these times reveals the sufficiency of His grace and the power of His presence. [72:56]
5. Joy as a Fruit of the Spirit: The joy that Paul speaks of is not dependent on circumstances but is a fruit of the Spirit's work within us. It is an outcome of an intimate relationship with Jesus, providing strength and resilience in all situations. [01:17:20]
** [77:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[56:10] - Opening Praise
[57:33] - Introduction of Special Guest
[59:00] - Introduction of Tammy Swanson-Drahn
[60:20] - Tammy's Greeting and Background
[62:06] - Personal Story and Testimony
[63:53] - Love for Jesus and His Church
[64:39] - Opening Prayer
[65:53] - Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
[67:02] - Joy, Prayer, and Gratitude
[68:51] - Personal Story of Loss
[71:09] - Lessons from Grief
[73:48] - Paul's Example of Joy
[76:14] - Joy in Presence with Jesus
[80:28] - Gratitude and Joy
[86:18] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Sermon Clips

One of the things that I love about the Covenant Church is the variety so everywhere I go in every church I am, it's a unique expression of God's people and it's beautiful. Sometimes I am in churches where people are pretty stoic and they sing out of a hymn book and maybe they're afraid to flinch. I don't know, you know what I'm talking about, but they love God, they love Jesus. [01:00:30]

We are people who are seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, believing that everything else will be given to us. It is a beautiful thing to do that together in a family that is full of variety, God's variety, and points to that picture in Revelation chapter 7 where people from every nation, tribe, people, and language will be gathered around the Throne of God worshiping him in heaven. [01:01:19]

There are three verses that I have been reflecting on over the past year or so. They come from First Thessalonians 5:16 to 18, and for me, they've kind of become like a blueprint for resilience in my walk with Jesus and in cultivating the fruit of the spirit in my life. I've memorized these verses, I meditate on them, I try to live into them and practice them even though I don't always get it perfectly. [01:06:01]

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Amen. Now, he didn't say this is God's will for he did not say give thanks for all circumstances, but give thanks in all circumstances. I think there's this kind of synergistic relationship, a strong relationship between joy and prayer and gratitude. [01:06:33]

The biblical meaning of joy often gets confused with temporary things, doesn't it? Like happiness and pleasure. Those things can be a part of joy, right? I mean, joy can contain those things, but they are completely insufficient as a way to describe the kind of joy that scripture refers to. While happiness and pleasure are things that people are often seeking after, the joy of the Lord that comes from the work of the spirit in our lives can be experienced even in sadness. [01:08:04]

It's easy to feel happy when everything's going well in our lives, right? But the experience of joy can transcend even the most difficult and challenging of circumstances. I'm going to be a little personal with you this morning. You're going to get a little window into my heart. For me, it's ironic that I learned a whole lot about joy in the midst of the most significant loss of my life. [01:09:10]

I learned a few other things in the midst of the intense sadness. I continue to learn from this experience, by the way, and I'm sure there's some of you in here who may have or may have or are going through an experience like this. I learned for one thing that grief is a curious thing because at first it comes in kind of like a tsunami, right? It's just devastating everything in sight. [01:12:04]

I learned that sorrow and joy are not opposite sides of a spectrum, and I was surprised by this right away, actually. God showed me that I could embrace the joy that I was experiencing with him, that it didn't in any way diminish my memories of Kelly or diminish my experience of grief. It makes sense because joy is not the same as happiness that is completely dependent on life circumstances. [01:13:53]

Joy came the more that I leaned into and depended on Jesus, and I made the connection between my life of prayer and my experience of joy. Along with the psalmist, I can say Psalm 43:4, I can say God, it is God who is my joy and delight. The Apostle Paul talked frequently about joy. The Apostle Paul being the author of those few verses from First Thessalonians. [01:14:58]

Paul had been through far more than any person I know, and yet he can say in all my troubles, my joy knows no bounds. Wow. You know, in that same scripture that you were referencing earlier, Pastor, out of John 17, Jesus prays that we would have his joy in us. It doesn't say that he finds joy in his troubles again, but in his troubles, his joy abounds. [01:17:32]

I believe in this country sometimes we need to be cautious of any kind of a shallow theology that knits God's blessing and joy and grace to our circumstances, to our personal health, our material wealth, our worldly success. The joy that we're speaking about here is the joy of presence with Jesus. The joy Paul experienced came from knowing that in his weak and vulnerable struggles, it became evident where his strength comes from. [01:18:49]

We follow in the footsteps of the one who suffered beyond all we can possibly imagine so that we can experience the sufficiency of his grace and his resurrection power. We can find joy in his unconditional love and favor poured out on us, poured out conspicuously on all of us, his children, in the most breathtaking demonstration of his love for us in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus who gave his life that we might have life. [01:20:00]

Paul speaks of a joy he understands is not dependent on circumstances, but it is the fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit in his life and an outcome of his intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, which brings me back to our text when he says Rejoice always. I do not believe that it's a mistake that is followed right on the heels with pray continually, which means having an ongoing conversation with God or living in the presence of God. [01:20:32]

In First Peter 5:7, we are exhorted, cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Notice it doesn't say anything about if you have anxiety or you shouldn't have anxiety, but you can cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Now, I'm going to be truthful here. I don't actually have even those these are kind of crazy times as a leader of an organization with a lot of expressions. [01:21:07]

When something happens to my kids or grandkids, okay, that's when I might start feeling anxiety. When I do, I begin to feel that anxiety rise. I know that feeling. You know that you might know that feeling for whatever it creates that in you. I start having some really frank conversations with God, and I'm talking about those gut-wrenching level conversations. I'm not talking about polite, let's get our grammar right, eloquent prayers. [01:21:49]

Sometimes we just got to have that kind of honesty, okay, all the time, all the time. We just got to have that kind of honesty, and I don't mind telling God how I'm thinking or what I'm feeling. Sometimes I even go so far as to tell God how I think he ought to solve it, and you know I'm in good company, right? Because the Psalms are full of these kinds of prayers, these honest and vulnerable conversations with God. [01:22:33]

Praying continually, having an ongoing running conversation with God, whether things are going great and praise is rolling off my lips or if I'm struggling, if I'm really down and my heart is just aching, it raises my level of joy. Joy is cultivated from my connection to Jesus, and I got to tell you what I've learned is that prayer is like a lifeline for me. [01:23:59]

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. Again, not for all circumstances, but in those circumstances, even if they're the hardest of circumstances, there are things we can find that we are thankful for that God has done in our life. This is true whether things are going great or you're in the midst of the most difficult of moments in your life. [01:24:29]

I've noticed that when I take the time to express my gratitude, something happens in me. The Holy Spirit uses that to refocus the direction of my thoughts, to refocus my heart. Something happens in me, and I become reentered in the joy of the Lord. It literally shifts what I'm thinking about and how I feel, and in the words of Nehemiah, the joy of the Lord is my strength. [01:28:46]

Paul tells us to Rejoice always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances because this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Let's pray. Gracious God, I thank you for these brothers and sisters here. I thank you for how much you have demonstrated your love to us. I thank you that your mercies are new every morning, that your grace is sufficient for whatever circumstance we find in. [01:31:07]

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