Joy Pumper

There's nothing like a word from God to motivate, inspire, encourage, and sometimes convict me, and always to move me in the right direction! Today let's read Philippians 1:19-29. Go through these ten verses two or three times and give the Holy Spirit the space to apply it to your mind and heart. What do you hear him saying? There are several things that strike me. One is this:

I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. (v. 25-26)

When I think about it, that's what I really most want to do with my life--I want to increase people's joy. I want my presence, my example, my service, my words, the way I live for Jesus to have a positive effect on the people I have contact with. Wouldn't it be awesome if that was what we all wanted? But even though there will always be people who seem to want to spread as much misery and discontent as they can, I can make a different choice. I can make the best choice (see yesterday's blog). I can live every day thinking how can I bring someone joy today. How can my life be an oasis of good things for the weary desert travelers around me to catch some refreshment when I'm around? By doing that, I can actually help people make progress in the development of their faith in Jesus ("...for your progress and joy in the faith..."). Now that's something worth living for! That would make me so happy! I would never feel like I am wasting my life or that my existence doesn't matter.

But God, what if my own circumstances are pretty rotten and I don't even feel joyful myself? (I'm not saying that I feel that way now, but there have been times.) Sure, it would be great to be a joy pumper for others! If only you would fix all this stuff for me so I could feel joy myself!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot...Paul was sitting in a Roman prison far away from home, persecuted and unjustly robbed of his freedom as he expressed this thought of wanting to bring joy to the people he wrote to. You're right, I don't have it that bad. So being a joy pumper doesn't require my life to be all roses? It just requires me to choose joy over misery, to know that my life still matters, to let the Holy Spirit fill me and turn my focus outward instead of inward. It just means that I have to decide not to give Satan the pleasure of defeating my spirit, refusing to give in to depression and self-pity, believing that some of my greatest contributions to the world may come through the valleys of my own pain because you, God, are going to use it for good! Well alright, then! I'm with you, Jesus. Let's go pump some joy!

I would love for this blog to be a blessing to more people! Would you help me get the word out? Just send the link to some friends or family members and let them know how it's encouraging you and that think they would like it too. Thanks so much!

Please share you're thougths on this text and how God is impressing it and applying it to your life. You can choose Anonymous from the "Comment as" list or sign into your Google account first.