Joy in the journey - by John Paul Jackson

Joy in the journey : Being content in your circumstances - by John Paul Jackson
taken from BES weekly news, Sept 02 2007


Much is changing in the body of Christ right now. I am sure that all of you have felt the strains, twists and tears of these changes.

It is very much a birthing process: There is pain, confusion, effort, frustation. We are feeling the agony; many of us are experiencing great uncertainty as we prepare for huge life changes. Once we leave the womb and are born into this new season, we cannot return to the old season, no matter how warm and welcoming we remember it being. What was safe before is not safe now. Depending on our circumstances and our approaching level of change, we can be terrified. At the very last, we can be horrifically overwhelmed.

In this process, if we are not anchored to God and what He's told us, we could be swept away by the torrent and lose faith that God is in control, that He is looking out for us.


The importance of living in your change

This is why it is important for us to truly embrace these changing times. It is here in transitional states, when we have no clue, no saving account and nothing to fall back on, that we grow in HIM in leaps and bounds, more than we might have been able to grow in the past 10 years. as you've probably heard before, the night is the darkest just before the dawn. We usually learn more from 10 days of agony than 10 years of contentment.

So it i important to actually experience change. How does it feel? Why does it feel like that? For a moment, ignore the dark, and figure out what is actually good about the situation you're in. Make a list. Write it down. Increase your faith and hold on because change is coming, and if you do not lose your faith, you wil emerge victoriuos and resplendent on the other side. When GOD changes His children and their life perceptions, HE will always bring them promotion, finance increase, deeper relationship and/or an abiding peace that all is well in His hand.


Contenment in all circumstances

Paul instructed us to be content in whatever circumsances we found ourselves in (Phillipians 4:11-13). This isn't restricted to just being peaceful when you're broke or not complaining when you're sick; its true of right now. When was the last time you took a moment to realize your happiness? If you cannot find one thing to be happy about in your life right now, I'd venture to say that the problem's with you and not because your circumstances are so dire.

If we get caught up in always looking forward to whats coming, we'll see a lot of the skyline but miss the many miracles and beautiful things that are happening in our lives right now. Life is truly beautiful, even in the dark.

At the end of my life, I'd like to be able to look back and say that I've love this journey. That it was worth it. That i remember the details, the little nooks and crannies that made it an adventure. That i remember what it smelled like, taste like, felt like and how it handled. This is what it means to be content in your circumstances.

We normally dont realize how much we're missing until we've successfully navigate our change. All of sudden, the change has happened; its over and we're left with the difference. I dont know about you, but I want to be left with satisfaction, too. I want to be left with details and the reasons and the overwhelming awareness of God's hands in the small thins. I want to know His presence in the whispers and His laughter in the midst of the storms. This is what happens when we embrase change and dont just try to survive it.