A wise person once told me, “You will bring joy to people's lives. Every. Single. Day.” (Sounds super sweet, hu?) “Either by your entering or your exiting”(Okay...ouch!) Isn't that so true though? When it comes to our lives, there is no doubt we bring joy. Hopefully it is because of our presence, and not because of the lack of. :)
“...we...are helpers of your joy...” 2 Corinthians 1:24. When I came across this verse several months ago, I immediately thought about 2 peopleexactly like this, that God has very graciously and lovingly put into my life. There are two places in this chapter specifically that stood out to me.
Paul is writing a letter to the church at Corinth & he gives them several verses that “prove” the statement in :24. One is verse 3. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;” Here Paul is helping their joy by reminding them that God is good! That He is merciful and that He comforts us like no other. “There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus. No, not one. No, not one.” My two helpers of joy are great at this! During a particularly rough storm, there was a season that my heart was completely overwhelmed. I went to sleep crying and as soon as my eyes opened in the morning, the crying would start. It was gut wrenching, heart shattering grief. I would call for my “helper of joy”and through tears say something like, “Please, start reading. I need a promise. I need to hear His words. I must have his promises.” And my amazing “helper of joy” would lovingly and patiently read the rich promises of God to me. Reminding me that though the world around me may crumble, God's Word, faithfulness and trustworthiness would never change. My other “helper of joy” has on purpose dedicated to memorizing chunks of scripture with me. Specific portions that bring hope and joy. It's an effort, it's work. But that's what “helpers of joy” do. :) Could we do this? When we notice that life has thrown a curve ball that begins to deflate someone's joy, could we be there with promising, life giving words of God? When we know someone has been broken hearted, hurt, feeling anxious or scared...could we set out to memorize scripture with them? Most of the time when people are feeling this way, they don't need to be scolded or reprimanded. They need someone to walk along side them and offer the Words of life, remind them of God's faithfulness and loving care.
One other verse in this chapter that I want to point out is verse four. “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” This is a verse that I have read and re-read multiple times. It's one of my go-to verses when I'm facing heartache and needing to be reminded there is a reason and purpose. Paul was saying, “We have faced tribulation. Real life, true blue pain and heartache. The knock-the-wind-out-of-you kind.” (Can you relate at all...ever been there?) However he was telling them, “Hey...it's okay”. How could he say that? How was it okay? It was okay because they knew their tribulation had a purpose. It was okay because of how he and Timothy were going to use the tribulation: to be helpers of joy. When they went through that knock-you-to-your-knees tribulation guess what happened? God comforted them. They received comfort for the very purpose of being a comfort to others. Wow! What helpers of joy! It's amazing what we can endure when we know it'll serve a great purpose. Want an example? Child birth ;) Look at the pain we endure for that. I could understand first time mom's accepting it...they don't know exactly what they are getting into. But repeat that after you are fully aware?!? Yep. Why? Because we know the end result. It's worth the pain. Could we do that?? The next time we face a very real heartache, could we purposely look for the comfort through the storm and bravely continue...knowing that God can use our pain and subsequent comfort to be a “helper of joy” to someone else? Let's remember that our pain can serve a purpose. God may just be trusting you with an illness, a wayward child, a “friend” betraying you. That diagnosis...it may not be about you at all, but about someone else who needs what you'll learn. That's another great thing my two “helpers of joy” have daily demonstrated. They don't want their influence sitting on a shelf- they live for others and not for self.
Ladies, in the days ahead, let's purpose to be helpers of joy. When God places someone in our path whose “joy tank” seems to be running on low – let's remind them about the amazing God we serve. Perhaps dedicate to memorize Scripture with them. The joy of the Lord is our strength! Let's get involved, let's really love people. There is no life lived like the life lived for others.
What will the people in your life say? I'm glad she came...or I'm glad she went away? Let's determine to be a helper of joy!!
Mrs Charissa Andrews
Pastor's Wife
Amazing Grace Baptist Church
Amazing Grace Baptist Church
St Peter's, MO
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