HOUSE OF GLADNESS
Restoring Gladness Newsletter
For weary leaders in a time of tumult and uncertainty.
September 2024 (I)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:14).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3,4).
Prayers
O God of the living, your Son our Savior after his crucifixion descended to the place of the dead: Look with kindness on all of us who wait in hope for liberation from the corruption of sin and death and give us a share in the glory of the children of God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.”
O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.”
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:14).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3,4).
Prayers
O God of the living, your Son our Savior after his crucifixion descended to the place of the dead: Look with kindness on all of us who wait in hope for liberation from the corruption of sin and death and give us a share in the glory of the children of God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 578
O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 610.
Reflection
In English, “hope” has the rather timid connotations of “wish” or “prefer,” as in, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” But, in Hebrew and Greek, “hope” is a robust word. To describe what he means by a “living hope,” Peter uses this phrase, “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” Imperishable, undefiled, and unfading call to mind something akin to Fort Knox. Hope is far from a wistful wish. It is both an immovable object and an irresistible force!
Paul speaks a blessing over the church in Rome that asks “the God of hope to fill [them] with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit [they] might abound in hope.” What does it mean to abound in hope? At the very least it means having an overflowing confidence in what we believe to be true, a confidence we would stake our lives on. This abounding hope led martyrs to sing as flames consumed them at the stake.
How do we get to this hope? Paul lays out the steps. First, we believe; we trust in God’s promises regardless of our circumstances. We fling ourselves into the arms of God.
Then the Lord fills us with joy and peace as a gift. Like so many of David’s psalms, our prayers turn from complaint to celebration, from pain to praise, from despair to hope. This turn may take a while. But a steady focus on the Lord doggedly draws us to joy and peace. We find in God’s presence the fullness of joy He has promised (see Psalm 16:11).
Finally, the Spirit empowers us to abound in hope. Confident in God’s promises, with hearts full of joy and peace, we walk confidently into the future. A future that will certainly include “light momentary affliction” (2 Cor. 4:17) and groaning in a fallen world (Rom. 8:23) but will ultimately lead to the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.
Wherever you find yourself, offer to the Lord all that is in your heart, trusting Him with what you find there. Then fling yourself into His arms trusting in His promises. You will find yourself, immediately or eventually, filled with joy and peace, empowered by the Spirit to abound in hope.
In English, “hope” has the rather timid connotations of “wish” or “prefer,” as in, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” But, in Hebrew and Greek, “hope” is a robust word. To describe what he means by a “living hope,” Peter uses this phrase, “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” Imperishable, undefiled, and unfading call to mind something akin to Fort Knox. Hope is far from a wistful wish. It is both an immovable object and an irresistible force!
Paul speaks a blessing over the church in Rome that asks “the God of hope to fill [them] with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit [they] might abound in hope.” What does it mean to abound in hope? At the very least it means having an overflowing confidence in what we believe to be true, a confidence we would stake our lives on. This abounding hope led martyrs to sing as flames consumed them at the stake.
How do we get to this hope? Paul lays out the steps. First, we believe; we trust in God’s promises regardless of our circumstances. We fling ourselves into the arms of God.
Then the Lord fills us with joy and peace as a gift. Like so many of David’s psalms, our prayers turn from complaint to celebration, from pain to praise, from despair to hope. This turn may take a while. But a steady focus on the Lord doggedly draws us to joy and peace. We find in God’s presence the fullness of joy He has promised (see Psalm 16:11).
Finally, the Spirit empowers us to abound in hope. Confident in God’s promises, with hearts full of joy and peace, we walk confidently into the future. A future that will certainly include “light momentary affliction” (2 Cor. 4:17) and groaning in a fallen world (Rom. 8:23) but will ultimately lead to the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.
Wherever you find yourself, offer to the Lord all that is in your heart, trusting Him with what you find there. Then fling yourself into His arms trusting in His promises. You will find yourself, immediately or eventually, filled with joy and peace, empowered by the Spirit to abound in hope.
August 2024 (II)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
“Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love” (Psalm 31:16).
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4).
Prayers
“O God, of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are enough for me. I can ask for nothing less that is completely to your honor, and if I do ask anything less, I shall always be in want. Only in you I have all. Amen.” Julian of Norwich
“Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me, and all the benefits thou hast given me. O most merciful redeemer, Friend, and Brother: Grant that I may see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day. Amen.” Richard of Chichester.
“Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love” (Psalm 31:16).
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4).
Prayers
“O God, of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are enough for me. I can ask for nothing less that is completely to your honor, and if I do ask anything less, I shall always be in want. Only in you I have all. Amen.” Julian of Norwich
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 673
“Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me, and all the benefits thou hast given me. O most merciful redeemer, Friend, and Brother: Grant that I may see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day. Amen.” Richard of Chichester.
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 672.
Reflection
As David wrote Psalm 31, he was experiencing a season, as he describes it, of affliction, distress, grief, sorrow, iniquity, reproach, isolation, strife, and persecution. Most of us have been in (or are in) a similar season. We can feel hopeless in these seasons. But David wants to find hope amid dire circumstances in the loving presence of God. He prays that God’s face would “shine on” him.
This image of God’s face shining on His people hearkens back to the blessing that the Lord commanded Aaron to pronounce over Israel (see Numbers 6:24-26). It seems likely that the priestly blessing, recited at the conclusion of the morning and evening sacrifice (according to tradition), was in David’s mind. “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you.” David wants to see the practical fulfillment of this blessing in his life. So do we!
Adding to the foundation of our hope is John’s vision of the fulfillment of God’s plan in the Book of Revelation. At one point, John hears a loud voice announcing, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself with be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3,4). Later John says that the Lord’s servants will worship him and “see his face” (22:4). Someday all will be set right.
While John’s vision is our “someday” hope, we also have a “right now” promise. Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus promised to be with us “to the end of the age” (i.e., until the “someday” hope is fulfilled). So, we can borrow joy from the future because Jesus is with us now.
While we desperately want to hope, however, our tendency in hard seasons (especially if they include iniquity) is to avoid God’s presence, like Adam and Eve in the Garden. We forego our prayer time. Instead, what we need most is to “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 5:16). We need to seek God’s face; to pray, like David, that God’s face would shine on us.
As David wrote Psalm 31, he was experiencing a season, as he describes it, of affliction, distress, grief, sorrow, iniquity, reproach, isolation, strife, and persecution. Most of us have been in (or are in) a similar season. We can feel hopeless in these seasons. But David wants to find hope amid dire circumstances in the loving presence of God. He prays that God’s face would “shine on” him.
This image of God’s face shining on His people hearkens back to the blessing that the Lord commanded Aaron to pronounce over Israel (see Numbers 6:24-26). It seems likely that the priestly blessing, recited at the conclusion of the morning and evening sacrifice (according to tradition), was in David’s mind. “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you.” David wants to see the practical fulfillment of this blessing in his life. So do we!
Adding to the foundation of our hope is John’s vision of the fulfillment of God’s plan in the Book of Revelation. At one point, John hears a loud voice announcing, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself with be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3,4). Later John says that the Lord’s servants will worship him and “see his face” (22:4). Someday all will be set right.
While John’s vision is our “someday” hope, we also have a “right now” promise. Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus promised to be with us “to the end of the age” (i.e., until the “someday” hope is fulfilled). So, we can borrow joy from the future because Jesus is with us now.
While we desperately want to hope, however, our tendency in hard seasons (especially if they include iniquity) is to avoid God’s presence, like Adam and Eve in the Garden. We forego our prayer time. Instead, what we need most is to “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 5:16). We need to seek God’s face; to pray, like David, that God’s face would shine on us.
August 2024 (I)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
Prayers
“O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 610
Lord Jesus, the turbulence of our lives tempts us to hopelessness. Give us grace to be constant in prayer so that we can be patient, hopeful, and joyful. As we pray, assure us of the Father’s love, fill us with the Holy Spirit, and transform us through your work on the cross. We pray this in your name. Amen.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
Prayers
“O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 610
Lord Jesus, the turbulence of our lives tempts us to hopelessness. Give us grace to be constant in prayer so that we can be patient, hopeful, and joyful. As we pray, assure us of the Father’s love, fill us with the Holy Spirit, and transform us through your work on the cross. We pray this in your name. Amen.
Reflection
Emotions often confuse me. I expect them to function like arithmetic, or maybe algebra, with limited variables, simple rules, and clear outcomes. If my life is going well, then I should feel joy. Not getting what I expected or hoped for equates to disappointment. Losing someone or something to which I had deep attachment produces grief and sadness.
But emotions operate in some mysterious form of advanced calculus. Variables collide, or dance, or run around like dogs with the “zoomies.” Paul tells us to rejoice in hope…while we are being patient with intensely challenging circumstances…by staying constant in prayer. Challenging circumstances don’t cancel out joy. They create a context in which joy looks through and beyond them in hope (based on faith in the God with whom we are having regular conversations).
Our lives are filled with all sorts of variables: challenges, disappointments, conflict, confusion, weariness, and so much more. But from a faith in a sovereign, loving God that is nurtured by prayer (private and corporate) springs up hope (a confidence in a future that is in God’s hands) which gives us the audacity to rejoice; to sing hymns in a Roman jail like Paul and Silas, to declare the gospel while being burned at the stake like Polycarp, to see fleas as a gift from God in a Nazi prison camp like Corrie ten Boom.
What are you facing that robs your joy and tempts you to despair? How can you put that into the hands of the Creator of the universe who loves and delights in you and who knows your need? Where and when can you next meet with Him who is seated on the throne of grace?
Joy is a gift that springs from a hope planted in our trust in a trustworthy God; and it’s a command. So, let’s choose joy today.
Emotions often confuse me. I expect them to function like arithmetic, or maybe algebra, with limited variables, simple rules, and clear outcomes. If my life is going well, then I should feel joy. Not getting what I expected or hoped for equates to disappointment. Losing someone or something to which I had deep attachment produces grief and sadness.
But emotions operate in some mysterious form of advanced calculus. Variables collide, or dance, or run around like dogs with the “zoomies.” Paul tells us to rejoice in hope…while we are being patient with intensely challenging circumstances…by staying constant in prayer. Challenging circumstances don’t cancel out joy. They create a context in which joy looks through and beyond them in hope (based on faith in the God with whom we are having regular conversations).
Our lives are filled with all sorts of variables: challenges, disappointments, conflict, confusion, weariness, and so much more. But from a faith in a sovereign, loving God that is nurtured by prayer (private and corporate) springs up hope (a confidence in a future that is in God’s hands) which gives us the audacity to rejoice; to sing hymns in a Roman jail like Paul and Silas, to declare the gospel while being burned at the stake like Polycarp, to see fleas as a gift from God in a Nazi prison camp like Corrie ten Boom.
What are you facing that robs your joy and tempts you to despair? How can you put that into the hands of the Creator of the universe who loves and delights in you and who knows your need? Where and when can you next meet with Him who is seated on the throne of grace?
Joy is a gift that springs from a hope planted in our trust in a trustworthy God; and it’s a command. So, let’s choose joy today.
July 2024 (II)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
“Sing praises to the Lord, O you saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
(Psalm 30: 4,5).
Prayer
“Go before us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name and finally, through your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 669.
“Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us , we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 668.
“Sing praises to the Lord, O you saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
(Psalm 30: 4,5).
Prayer
“Go before us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name and finally, through your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 669.
“Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us , we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 668.
Reflection
“Joy comes with the morning!” What a lovely thought!
Amid all our praises sung to the Lord, we come to realize the need we have to continue to trust in Him. We give thanks for the Lord’s care for us and for those we love. We delight in his joy for us as it pours into our minds and hearts like a waterfall. We glory in the Lord and in his care for us.
Some of us, however, may be in a place in our lives where it would be helpful to find a “Joy Friend,” a person who can walk alongside of us until we get to the place of singing a new song to the Lord.
I have been in situations where I needed a “Joy friend” as well. My friend carried my joy, so to speak, while the Lord was doing a hard work in my life. It was very powerful to have that kind of friend who I knew was praying and caring for me. And, oh the delight in being asked to help someone else along their journey towards Joy.
I am grateful that the Lord goes before us and helps us continuously, even though we may need others to tend to us, from time to time.
We glorify your name, Lord Jesus. We are grateful for your continual help and tending of us. How wonderful to know that Joy does come with the morning!
May the Lord bless and keep us, each one.
“Joy comes with the morning!” What a lovely thought!
Amid all our praises sung to the Lord, we come to realize the need we have to continue to trust in Him. We give thanks for the Lord’s care for us and for those we love. We delight in his joy for us as it pours into our minds and hearts like a waterfall. We glory in the Lord and in his care for us.
Some of us, however, may be in a place in our lives where it would be helpful to find a “Joy Friend,” a person who can walk alongside of us until we get to the place of singing a new song to the Lord.
I have been in situations where I needed a “Joy friend” as well. My friend carried my joy, so to speak, while the Lord was doing a hard work in my life. It was very powerful to have that kind of friend who I knew was praying and caring for me. And, oh the delight in being asked to help someone else along their journey towards Joy.
I am grateful that the Lord goes before us and helps us continuously, even though we may need others to tend to us, from time to time.
We glorify your name, Lord Jesus. We are grateful for your continual help and tending of us. How wonderful to know that Joy does come with the morning!
May the Lord bless and keep us, each one.
July 2024 (I)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
Prayer
“O God, grant that I may seek you, and seeking you find you, and finding you be satisfied in you forever. Amen.” Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 668.
__________
“O God, we want your beauty, beyond our comprehending, to be our deepest desire. But we confess that our desires are unruly and incoherent. By the power of your in-dwelling Spirit, please shepherd all of our desires into the one true desire, to dwell in your presence all the days of our lives to gaze upon your beauty.”
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”
Psalm 27:4
Prayer
“O God, grant that I may seek you, and seeking you find you, and finding you be satisfied in you forever. Amen.” Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 668.
__________
“O God, we want your beauty, beyond our comprehending, to be our deepest desire. But we confess that our desires are unruly and incoherent. By the power of your in-dwelling Spirit, please shepherd all of our desires into the one true desire, to dwell in your presence all the days of our lives to gaze upon your beauty.”
Reflection
We have all been captivated by beauty at some point; in a painting, in a sunset, in music that evokes emotion, in the smoothness of a piece of pottery, or in wonderfully aromatic food. We want to linger and absorb all the beauty before us. So, we can understand David’s focused and deep desire (“one thing...will I seek after”) to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
But what is beauty? Beauty invites and then defies explanation. Every appeal to ideas (such us symmetry, colors, shapes, movement, invoked memories, etc.) ends with, “Well, yeah, that’s part of it, I guess.” And, if defining beauty stumps us, how are we to think of the beauty of the Lord?
When David speaks of the beauty of the Lord, He is speaking more poetically than theologically. He is less picturing a Bible study than imagining being transfixed by the Lord’s presence, enthralled in joy, awe, and wonder.
Let’s join David in desiring the one thing that he asked for and sought wholeheartedly, to dwell in the house of the Lord in order to gaze upon His beauty. Let’s allow the truth of God’s Word, the glory of His creation, the power of His gospel, and the indwelling of His Spirit to lead us into the beauty of His presence.
We have all been captivated by beauty at some point; in a painting, in a sunset, in music that evokes emotion, in the smoothness of a piece of pottery, or in wonderfully aromatic food. We want to linger and absorb all the beauty before us. So, we can understand David’s focused and deep desire (“one thing...will I seek after”) to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
But what is beauty? Beauty invites and then defies explanation. Every appeal to ideas (such us symmetry, colors, shapes, movement, invoked memories, etc.) ends with, “Well, yeah, that’s part of it, I guess.” And, if defining beauty stumps us, how are we to think of the beauty of the Lord?
When David speaks of the beauty of the Lord, He is speaking more poetically than theologically. He is less picturing a Bible study than imagining being transfixed by the Lord’s presence, enthralled in joy, awe, and wonder.
Let’s join David in desiring the one thing that he asked for and sought wholeheartedly, to dwell in the house of the Lord in order to gaze upon His beauty. Let’s allow the truth of God’s Word, the glory of His creation, the power of His gospel, and the indwelling of His Spirit to lead us into the beauty of His presence.
June 2024 (II)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
“Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Prayer
"Sovereign, Good, and Faithful Lord, we groan because we believe that our painful circumstances somehow reveal those three of your attributes. We cry out, “How long, O Lord?”
We also offer to you our deepest heart longings (to be loved, to be wanted, to know who we are, to belong, to matter, to make a difference, etc.).
Finally, we choose hope because we have seen your faithfulness and we trust your promises. We choose to rejoice in our trials because we believe that you are sovereign, good, and faithful.
We offer our prayer to you in the name of Jesus, our Mediator, and in the power of the Spirit, our Intercessor. Amen.
“Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4
Prayer
"Sovereign, Good, and Faithful Lord, we groan because we believe that our painful circumstances somehow reveal those three of your attributes. We cry out, “How long, O Lord?”
We also offer to you our deepest heart longings (to be loved, to be wanted, to know who we are, to belong, to matter, to make a difference, etc.).
Finally, we choose hope because we have seen your faithfulness and we trust your promises. We choose to rejoice in our trials because we believe that you are sovereign, good, and faithful.
We offer our prayer to you in the name of Jesus, our Mediator, and in the power of the Spirit, our Intercessor. Amen.
Reflection
Unlike “losing” our keys or glasses, losing joy in ministry usually happens because of “trials of various kinds” (trials coming from outside the Church, from inside the Church, and from within our own hearts). These are the trials that are leaving pastors weary and discouraged. James tells us to “count it all joy,” like Peter and the apostles in Acts 5, when we encounter these trials.
In our experience, though, the path to joy amid trials goes through groaning. Paul points out in Romans 8 that creation groans, we groan, and the Spirit groans because of the effects of the Fall. Groaning itself is a form of prayer; a part of the process of lament.
Psalm 13 provides a good template for lament. In verses 1 and 2 David groans under the burden of feeling ignored or forgotten by the Lord. The “trials of various kinds” that James alludes to usually stir in us groaning before we discover joy. Like David we cry out, “How long, O Lord?”
In Psalm 13:3,4 David prays the desire of his heart, a desire that goes deeper than mere relief of the trial. To move from groaning to joy, we likewise need to lay our deepest desires on the altar before the Lord.
By the end of Psalm 13 (verses 5 and 6), David chooses hope and praise; in a word, joy. His joy is based on His experience of the Lord’s faithfulness in the past and on His promises for the future. For James the promise is that our trials will make us “perfect and complete.”
In the midst of “various trials” we can discover joy by walking David’s path of lament. We groan. We pray. We choose praise and hope. We rejoice (long before the circumstances change!). Rather than trying to skip straight to a false joy based on suppressing our actual pain, we start with groaning, which Paul tells us is actually the language the Spirit uses when He intercedes for us (Romans 8:26).
Unlike “losing” our keys or glasses, losing joy in ministry usually happens because of “trials of various kinds” (trials coming from outside the Church, from inside the Church, and from within our own hearts). These are the trials that are leaving pastors weary and discouraged. James tells us to “count it all joy,” like Peter and the apostles in Acts 5, when we encounter these trials.
In our experience, though, the path to joy amid trials goes through groaning. Paul points out in Romans 8 that creation groans, we groan, and the Spirit groans because of the effects of the Fall. Groaning itself is a form of prayer; a part of the process of lament.
Psalm 13 provides a good template for lament. In verses 1 and 2 David groans under the burden of feeling ignored or forgotten by the Lord. The “trials of various kinds” that James alludes to usually stir in us groaning before we discover joy. Like David we cry out, “How long, O Lord?”
In Psalm 13:3,4 David prays the desire of his heart, a desire that goes deeper than mere relief of the trial. To move from groaning to joy, we likewise need to lay our deepest desires on the altar before the Lord.
By the end of Psalm 13 (verses 5 and 6), David chooses hope and praise; in a word, joy. His joy is based on His experience of the Lord’s faithfulness in the past and on His promises for the future. For James the promise is that our trials will make us “perfect and complete.”
In the midst of “various trials” we can discover joy by walking David’s path of lament. We groan. We pray. We choose praise and hope. We rejoice (long before the circumstances change!). Rather than trying to skip straight to a false joy based on suppressing our actual pain, we start with groaning, which Paul tells us is actually the language the Spirit uses when He intercedes for us (Romans 8:26).
June 2024 (I)
A twice-a-month resource for leaders seeking to serve the Lord with gladness.
Click here for a printable version.
Click here for a printable version.
Scripture
“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11
Prayers
“O Lord, we stumble about grasping for joy, careening from one pleasure to the next, finding only fleeting satisfaction. Give us grace to know that all true joy is found in you, to desire that true joy, and then to orient our lives to you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11
Prayers
“O Lord, we stumble about grasping for joy, careening from one pleasure to the next, finding only fleeting satisfaction. Give us grace to know that all true joy is found in you, to desire that true joy, and then to orient our lives to you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
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“O God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”Book of Common Prayer 2019, p. 668
Reflection
When raising children, it can seem like 20-80% of one’s day is spent finding lost items: shoes, cups, coats, socks, books, papers, tablets...anything and everything. After the tragedy of the lost treasure is announced (because every lost item is always, by definition, “my favorite!”) the parental mantra is, “Where did you last have it?”
That question is a great starting point for pastors and lay leaders who have lost their joy in ministry. “Where did you last have it?” To remember a time of joy, many of us would need to go back before COVID-19 threw our worlds into turmoil.
When you do remember a time when you were serving the Lord with gladness, where did the joy come from? Quite likely, your joy bubbled up from some blend of satisfying accomplishments, supportive relationships, a clear purpose, and consistent prayer times. If you are looking for lost joy, starting with those four sources is wise. The most critical one is time with the Lord because, when the other three wells of joy dry up, there is fullness of joy in the Lord’s presence.
Before you toss this aside as an admonition from a person standing on the beach to someone caught in a rip current to “swim harder,” let me assure you that praying harder (at least in my experience) rarely increases joy. Guilt, shame, frustration, yes., rarely joy. Instead, I’m inviting you to rediscover the presence of the Lord. You may encounter the Lord on your knees at set times of formal prayer (which the Church from the beginning has declared important). But you might also experience His presence while walking, or conversing with a friend, or reading, or painting, or bird watching, or lying in a hammock.
We will pick up this theme in the next newsletter. But, for now, it is important to note that until the fulness of the kingdom comes, while we experience joy in the Lord’s presence, we also experience groaning. Stay tuned!
When raising children, it can seem like 20-80% of one’s day is spent finding lost items: shoes, cups, coats, socks, books, papers, tablets...anything and everything. After the tragedy of the lost treasure is announced (because every lost item is always, by definition, “my favorite!”) the parental mantra is, “Where did you last have it?”
That question is a great starting point for pastors and lay leaders who have lost their joy in ministry. “Where did you last have it?” To remember a time of joy, many of us would need to go back before COVID-19 threw our worlds into turmoil.
When you do remember a time when you were serving the Lord with gladness, where did the joy come from? Quite likely, your joy bubbled up from some blend of satisfying accomplishments, supportive relationships, a clear purpose, and consistent prayer times. If you are looking for lost joy, starting with those four sources is wise. The most critical one is time with the Lord because, when the other three wells of joy dry up, there is fullness of joy in the Lord’s presence.
Before you toss this aside as an admonition from a person standing on the beach to someone caught in a rip current to “swim harder,” let me assure you that praying harder (at least in my experience) rarely increases joy. Guilt, shame, frustration, yes., rarely joy. Instead, I’m inviting you to rediscover the presence of the Lord. You may encounter the Lord on your knees at set times of formal prayer (which the Church from the beginning has declared important). But you might also experience His presence while walking, or conversing with a friend, or reading, or painting, or bird watching, or lying in a hammock.
We will pick up this theme in the next newsletter. But, for now, it is important to note that until the fulness of the kingdom comes, while we experience joy in the Lord’s presence, we also experience groaning. Stay tuned!
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