missing pieces

I feel like God has done nothing but whack me over the head to be since I got here :P. I think that it makes sense, however, given that the things he is whacking me over the head with are things I needed to learn. I am currently on the chapter about submission in the Celebration of the Disciplines. The thing I find most interesting about it, is that it says that in order to be truly submissive, we have to match our thoughts with our actions. Sounds like a no brainer, but really, it's so easy to just do as we're told, without really stopping to be grateful that we are the ones doing do it. I have a really hard time not grumbling when I'm asked to do things that I deem are outside of my job description. But how stupid is that?! I'm getting paid to do it, so I might as well do it. Who cares if it's what I signed up for or not? I'm not entitled, and I need to stop thinking that I am.

Another thing about submission, that was mentioned in Bible study last night, is that when we truly submit, and do our work in order to please God, instead of men, we can rejoice in it! If we spend all of our time grumbling and complaining about how much we don't want to do it, instead of praising God for the opportunity to work, we're sabotaging ourselves. We are voluntarily giving up our joy to the devil. We are allowing him to make us miserable. And really, when it comes down to it, what kind of a witness is a miserable Christian? I mean really, if I spend all my time listening to you whine about how awful your life is, why in the world would I want to believe what you say you believe?

We don't have to go around being happy all the time. Happiness and joy are different. What we do need to do, is allow God's life and light shine through us so that others can see that even when we aren't happy, we are full of joy.

It is joy that seems to be the hardest to hold on to, when life gets hard, but it is God's joy that we need the most in those difficult times. Lord help me to have joy in you and everything you have done for me and continue to do in my life. Amen.