Finally, my dear friends, be glad that you belong to the Lord. It doesn’t bother me to write the same things to you that I have written before. In fact, it is for your own good. ~ Philippians 3:1 (CEV)
Lord, sometimes I get frustrated. There are so many things that happen to me which seem to suck all the joy out of life. I wish you'd make all those frustrating things go away. But maybe you just want me to find my joy somewhere else. I'm guessing that you allow the frustrating things to happen so that I turn and find my joy in you -- and you alone. With your help that is what I am going to do. I am committing myself to living a life filled with the joy that bubbles out of my relationship with you. This is joy that the frustrations of life can't stop. There is no greater joy than belonging to you. Amen.Challenging Words
- frustrated -- feeling stressed or annoyed by things or circumstances you can't fix or improve
- bubbles out -- metaphor based on the bubbles that appear with active water. For example, when water surfaces from an underground spring, it bubbles out of the ground. It is full of life and energy. When we have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ there is a lively and energetic joy that bubbles out of the relationship.