374-Train Your Heart to Be Joyful Always#
374-Train Your Heart to Be Joyful Always
(JP Text Group - shalom 整理)
Dear family, peace in the Lord, and welcome to your arrival.
The topic of sharing is: Train Your Heart to Be Joyful Always
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you for preparing this time for us to come before you. At this moment, we are willing to quiet our hearts in you. Please lead us to be guided by the Holy Spirit during this time, so that we can always rejoice in everything. We commit the following time to the Holy Spirit, help each person to receive supply, and keep this time holy. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
Everyone has habits formed over many years. These habits are like a computer; whatever commands you input will yield certain results. If a habit leads to anxiety, frustration, and irritability when faced with difficulties, only seeing the negative side and not the positive side, these negative outcomes will affect a person's heart. Many habits are learned from parents and those around us from a young age. If parents are negative and only see the negative side of things, their children will be negative; if your family is very negative, and your friends are very negative, it becomes particularly easy to feel tense, angry, and discouraged, and it is likely to develop negative thoughts such as suspicion, insecurity, and lack of confidence.
I have heard many people say, "I was born this way, I easily feel sad, I have a bad temper, and I am not easy to approach." These habits are what you have cultivated. What is the good news? You can change! You can reset your thinking patterns, break free from these negative mindsets, and let joy become your habit. You can train your heart to always rejoice, just as Paul said, to rejoice always! In another version, it means to keep your heart joyful.
To always keep joy means to maintain a joyful heart regardless of what happens. You are a child loved by God, a beloved child of God, and every day you can expect good things to happen! Many people only feel joy after their circumstances change, for example, when prayers are answered, a long-standing worry is finally resolved, or when healing occurs; most people feel joy only after problems are solved.
But we are people who live by faith, and even if we do not see results now, we can still rejoice always by faith. Because we believe that God is faithful, He will take responsibility for us. With this hope, we can rejoice always in any circumstance. Of course, many people face great changes, yet they do not show it outwardly; they always wear a smile, remain calm, optimistic, and full of joy, while others facing the same problems may feel down, discouraged, and troubled.
Let’s look at a passage of scripture, John 6:5-12:
5 Jesus lifted up His eyes and saw a great multitude coming toward Him, and He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.) 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” 10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
Many people have read about the miracle of the five loaves and two fish. Jesus had been teaching all day, and at that time, both the disciples and the people were hungry. One of the disciples suggested to Jesus that they should let the people go home to find something to eat! Jesus said, “You give them something to eat!” Jesus told Philip to find a way to feed them, and Philip looked at the situation and said, “Even if we had two hundred denarii worth of bread, it would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” The disciples were thinking about where to buy bread. Even if they had two hundred denarii, they could not buy enough bread! This was a very practical problem!
Many people, when faced with problems, say, “It’s over, this problem seems impossible to solve,” and their hearts become filled with sorrow. One person said, “There is a lad here with five barley loaves and two small fish.” Some of the disciples were worried. A little child said, “I have five loaves and two fish,” but when the disciples took the five loaves and two fish, they were still worried. “What is this among so many?” What we need is not just five barley loaves and two fish; we need a lot of fish and a lot of bread. There are nearly ten thousand people sitting down!
Many times, when we encounter problems, we realize our strength is very small, and we start to worry, constantly focusing on the problem, feeling down and troubled. We see that Jesus also encountered this problem. Jesus told the people to sit down, row by row.
Verse 11 says, “Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks…”
This is a very important part. The same five loaves and two fish in the hands of the disciples made them say, “What is this? This cannot solve the problem.” But when Jesus took the loaves, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks, looking up represents His reliance on the Father’s provision; giving thanks is acknowledging the Father for these five loaves and two fish! To ordinary people, this seems insignificant and cannot solve the problem; but to Jesus, it was already enough! Because Jesus’ gaze is always upward to our Heavenly Father, when we encounter problems, we need to train our hearts to look up to the Father, giving thanks in everything, and we can rejoice always!
Jesus believed that our Heavenly Father could multiply these five loaves and two fish so that all these people would have enough to eat. Therefore, He took the loaves and gave thanks to our Heavenly Father. This is something we need to be aware of; it is not about seeing how little the bread is, but about recognizing that our Heavenly Father has the ability to supply the needs of these people. After Jesus gave thanks, He began to distribute the bread and fish according to what they wanted, and everyone was filled.
Gathering up the fragments that remained, there were twelve baskets left over, which shows that our Heavenly Father’s provision is abundant. Perhaps you are worried and anxious about something right now, but I want to tell you not to focus all your attention on the problem. Believe that our God is a God of provision. Train your heart to see the other side of things; all things work together for good to those who love God. The situation is definitely not as negative as we see it; train your way of thinking. Some people, when faced with situations, will think about what the positive influence of this situation is. If you can see the positive influence, you will be filled with hope and confidence!
Since God has said that all things can work together for good, we need to see what part can work for us. Once we find that part, we can have joy! We need to train our hearts to look at everything from God’s perspective. Perhaps this situation is temporarily bad, but the outcome does not have to be bad! This is similar to a story called “The Old Man Lost His Horse; How Could One Know It Is Not a Blessing?” What seems to be a bad or unfortunate situation may ultimately not be a bad thing. Therefore, we need to train ourselves to look at the difficulties and problems we encounter from multiple angles.
Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, even though there was no grain, new wine, or oil produced, if they could change their perspective on the problem, they would see that God provided every day: a cloud by day and a fire by night, their clothes did not wear out, their feet did not swell, and they had water to drink. All of these are God’s provision. If the Israelites had seen these provisions, they would not have complained. Whether in the wilderness or in the land of Canaan, as long as there is God’s provision, their hearts should be joyful! Hallelujah!
But some people do not see this side; when they encounter problems, they complain, become negative, and retreat. All of this starts from the way of thinking. Willing to rejoice always in everything and give thanks to God means believing that God is in control of our lives and our circumstances. He is still seated on the throne of this world, so we should not be anxious or troubled. The “giving thanks in everything” mentioned here does not mean thanking God for bad things!
Many people do not know how to apply this. They say, “Thank you, God, for letting me fall while walking today; there is nothing to be thankful for in this, right?” Do not thank God for bad things because bad things are not given by God. There is no need to thank God for this terrible situation. Giving thanks in everything means that even when bad things happen, we can still look up to God’s provision, believing that He can turn everything around for us, as our helper. Therefore, thanking God will surely save us from all evil; this is the reason we give thanks in everything. Even if we are currently in the wilderness, in trouble, or in sickness, we still have a God to rely on, and for this, we thank God, believing that He will surely save us because He is the God who saves.
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12:
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.
Ecclesiastes is a book where Solomon reflects on many experiences in the world. He expresses many sentiments and, at the same time, sees through all things from God’s perspective. God has made everything beautiful in its time, which includes flowers, trees, the changing of seasons, and all the problems people encounter.
Making everything beautiful in its time does not mean it will be beautiful according to our timing but according to God’s creation timing! In spring, what trees bloom, in summer, what ripens, in autumn, what bears fruit, and in winter, what it looks like—all of these have God’s good purpose in them. God makes all things beautiful in His time!
For humans, what we need is not just these beauties; God has set eternity in the human heart. Therefore, people have an instinctive exploration and pursuit of eternal life, desiring to live long and joyfully. God’s work from beginning to end is beyond human comprehension. If people try to fathom God’s work, it is indeed very difficult! There is one way to understand this God, and that is through His word, knowing that God is good to us. Once we understand this, we can rest assured. Knowing that God is in control of all things, He is the beginning and the end.
No matter how great a person thinks their abilities are, our God is always in control of everything! With this thought, our hearts can be at peace and joyful! Since we know that God is in control of everything, He loves you dearly and is willing to help you, there is no need to be anxious or worried. Encountering difficulties is very normal; God has never said that we will not encounter difficulties in this world. We will face difficulties, but God will help us and give us strength. When we encounter problems, we can ask Him for wisdom.
God created us not to be anxious or bitter. Believing in Jesus is not to add heavier burdens or make you more miserable; believing in the Lord is a very joyful thing! Knowing God will only make you more joyful. If the Lord you believe in makes you feel heavier, more burdened, and more painful the more you know Him, it only shows that you have believed wrongly!
There is nothing better for people than to be happy and do good throughout their lives. Many people work hard to earn money, still hoping to find joy and help others. This joy includes first having something for oneself and secondly being able to have a joyful heart through helping others. This is God’s original intention! God initially blessed Abraham, saying, “I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing to others.” Therefore, after we have received, we can help others more, and this joy is generated!
The more we help others, the greater the joy. Therefore, God does not want us to be anxious but to be joyful and do good, enjoying being in God’s presence and experiencing His goodness! In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, making everything very good and perfect, and then placed Adam and Eve in it, allowing them to rejoice in all that God had created, sharing joy and enjoying being in God’s presence. Hallelujah!
We need to train our hearts to always rejoice! Do not wait ten years later still to be troubled and angry about something from the past. We always hope that others can change; only when others change can we find joy. This kind of pain and sorrow often occurs in families. Especially hoping that the other person can change, “As long as she changes, I can have joy!” If some colleagues change, we can be joyful! Many people pray, “Lord, change her! Renew her!”
If the people and environment around you cannot change, it is better to change yourself! The Israelites lived in the wilderness for forty years. They did not want to stay in the wilderness, and of course, we do not want to stay in the wilderness either. However, if we have to live in the wilderness for these years, then let us thank God for His cloud by day and fire by night, for His provision every day! Since the external environment cannot change, let us change ourselves, so that our hearts are not affected by these environments, looking up to the provision that comes from above, and you can always rejoice! Therefore, train your heart to wait for God’s good will, do not look at what you lack now, but look at what you have, look at what God has given you!
Hebrews 12:1-2:
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, referring to the many witnesses recorded in the Bible. These people have encountered trials and difficulties, but they learned to rely on God, give thanks, and rejoice always in their circumstances. The testimonies of these people surround us like a cloud, giving us hope. When you encounter trials and problems, do not be discouraged. Let go of every burden. How can we let go? By seeing the testimonies of those people, God did not abandon them, He listened to their prayers, and kept them. You should also believe that God will keep you in the same way! Because you are also loved by God, Hallelujah!
God loves Abraham, loves Jesus, and God loves you in the same way. When you see it this way, you can let go of every burden. These burdens often exist in our hearts. If there are too many burdens, you will have no strength outside. Letting go of these burdens will lighten you, and you will be able to do many things better!
Take exams as an example. Many people are particularly afraid of exams, no matter what kind of exam it is. Just seeing the exam makes them particularly scared; for example, some people are very afraid when taking a driving test. Some people become very anxious as soon as they enter the examination room; this is a burden! Let go of these burdens, believe that the Holy Spirit is with me and will help me, and I can face everything easily during the exam!
With this mindset, you can perform better and more easily. Seeing the provision God gives us and the many witnesses makes it easier to let go of those sins that entangle us; these do not count for anything. With perseverance, let us run the race marked out for us. If there are always burdens, it is hard to take a step forward, and it feels like the road ahead is too rugged. Many people become discouraged, hopeless, and unwilling to move forward. Some say they are too tired and do not want to read the Bible or listen to sermons anymore because their hearts are too burdened. What should we do? Train your heart to see God’s promises and help, and hold on to those promises. The weaker you are, the more you need strength from God. When you receive strength and provision from God, you can be renewed and run the race that God has prepared for us.
How to do this? It’s simple: look to Jesus, carefully think about what Jesus has done for you. He is the author and perfecter of faith. If you want to have faith, you must meditate on what Jesus has done for you. See how Jesus faced life; He also encountered trials, persecution, and many problems, but He looked up to the Father, relying on the strength and provision from heaven, and overcame! Just like the miracle of the five loaves and two fish mentioned earlier, Jesus looked up to the provision above and overcame. You can do the same! Even in trials and problems, after overcoming, God still rewards us! Jesus knew what He was doing; He scorned the shame, seeing the joy set before Him, knowing that when He suffered on the cross, He would save countless souls. When He thought of this, He rejoiced.
You should also believe that these difficulties are temporary, the crisis will pass, and there will definitely be a beautiful ending. Every time you think of that beautiful ending, your heart can rejoice. If you only look at the current difficulties, you will become more and more discouraged. You only need to slightly adjust your mindset; just a little adjustment in how you treat others or handle problems can create a new habit. A new habit can be formed in twenty-one days. If you can cultivate this habit of looking at everything from God’s perspective, even a slight adjustment over time will cause joy to flow within you! Amen.
In Numbers 14, there is a record of an event: At that time, Moses was leading the Israelites, and they were about to reach the land of Canaan. As they approached the entrance, the people said, “Let each tribe send a leader to see what the land is like.” Moses agreed and sent twelve spies into the land of Canaan to see what it was like. If God has promised you that it is a land flowing with milk and honey, there is really no need to go see it; just enter directly. Sometimes people always say, “Let’s take a look first,” thinking it will increase our faith.
The twelve spies went for forty days and returned with different reports: At first, they all said, “Indeed, the promise God gave us is real; that place is truly a land flowing with milk and honey. God did not deceive us, but the cities are fortified and the inhabitants are very strong; we are not their match.”
They brought two messages to the people. This group of people on the road in the wilderness trained their hearts to only listen to the negative. Perhaps after so many years in Egypt, they had hardly heard any positive news; most of it was curses and a life without dignity. Now, their hearts had become very sensitive to capture the negative parts of this statement, completely ignoring the positive part. Therefore, in Numbers 14, the hearts of the people were fully exposed.
Let’s look at Numbers 14:1-9:
1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them. The Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”
The same event was seen and experienced by twelve people, but ten of them complained and spread negative news. Why did they come to this conclusion? Was their statement correct? Yes, it was indeed true. The cities were fortified, and the inhabitants were tall; the Israelites were definitely not their match. This statement is not wrong; from a human perspective, it seems they have reached a dead end, and there is no way forward. After hearing this, the Israelites immediately became discouraged and complained to Moses, saying, “If only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness.”
Such language is very familiar, isn’t it? Many people often use these phrases. God did not say, “You should always complain and speak negatively.” The Israelites often complained, especially in family relationships. Many people say, “I knew you would do this!” This is a prophecy, or they say, “Why is my life so bitter?” This is all complaining! “If only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness,” these negative complaints and grievances will not benefit their progress at all; instead, they will cause everyone to lose strength.
Once this complaining language spreads among the people, it will not only prevent them from going to battle, but they will immediately be incapacitated. Therefore, verse 3 says, “Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword?” Because their hearts were consumed, they had no strength left. If our hearts are often occupied by these negative fears, we will have no strength to do anything.
Just like I mentioned earlier about taking an exam, if you are particularly nervous and afraid, you may not perform well, and that is the problem. So what should we do? Acknowledge that this is a fact, but do not speak it out. Do not try to handle these problems with your own strength; you cannot solve them. After the Israelites complained, they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” Think about it: is going back to Egypt a solution? Will going back mean no more problems? Will they not fall by the sword? The current problem is that whether they go back or move forward, it seems there is no way out, and the people were caught in between.
Some may ask, “Why did God set up such a lesson for them?” It is actually very simple. Through this history, we see that no matter how great the difficulties ahead are, we must hold on to God’s promises and look at all difficulties through God’s promises, and they will no longer be difficulties. When the people were complaining, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the assembly of the Israelites. They had no way out either because the people wanted to go home. What should the leaders do? Once negative words spread, they will cause everyone to lose strength. However, God is not training our hearts to become more negative but to rejoice always!
Of course, not all the people were like this. If everyone were like this, they might really have gone back to Egypt. In verses 7 and 9, two people appear. These two people also faced the same difficulties and problems, but their perspectives on the issues were different.
In verse 7, Joshua and Caleb said to the congregation, “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.” This emphasizes again that God did not lie; His promises are indeed good.
In verse 8, “If the Lord delights in us, He will bring us into this land.” Knowing that God delights in you, He will surely lead you into the promised land. God’s promise to you is one of abundance, joy, and peace, and it is definitely not one of poverty, pain, or complaints. This is something you must be assured of! God clearly stated to the Israelites from the beginning, “I will lead you into the land flowing with milk and honey.” He never said you would not enter or that you would die on the way.
Joshua and Caleb believed that God would surely lead them into that land and give it to them. Why did they see the problem differently? The reason is simple: they knew this was not their battle; it was God’s battle! The enemies were indeed tall, and the walls were fortified, but our God certainly has a way to overcome all of this! That place is a land flowing with milk and honey, which God wants to give us! To give it to us means it is not something we earn through our own efforts; it is God who leads us into it.
Joshua and Caleb told the people not to rebel against the Lord, meaning do not think about the negative aspects of God’s promises. God led us out of Egypt, and now to go back is to betray God! Do not fear the inhabitants of the land; the enemies are tall, but do not be afraid. Why? Because from God’s perspective, they are merely our food.
Why did Joshua and Caleb have such a vision? They looked at the people through God’s power and promises, and they truly saw them as food. Because Joshua and Caleb believed that God’s power is greater! If you only look at the difficulties, it seems impossible to overcome. One difficulty ends, and another arises. You need to see that God has the power to solve all difficulties. Amen. Since God has given us such promises, hold on to those promises. Joshua and Caleb believed that the protection of the enemies had departed from them. “The Lord is with us; do not fear them.” This is the assurance in their hearts.
What the ten said was factual, but what Joshua and Caleb said was also factual. Which fact do you believe? If someone tells you there is a certain disease, yes, that is a fact; do not deny it. You cannot say, “Even though you have a disease, you can pretend you don’t.” That is incorrect! You cannot believe this; that is self-deception.
We acknowledge it as a fact, but we also acknowledge another fact: God has the power to solve it; God has the power to overcome it! In these two facts, believe in the promises God has given us, hold on to God’s promises. Hallelujah! If the Israelites had all said at that time like Caleb and Joshua, “Yes! The walls are fortified, and the enemies are tall, but our God is greater than the people of that land! He is stronger than those walls, so those walls cannot stop our God!” If you can have such faith, that is enough. However, the Israelites believed that there was no way to overcome them. From a human perspective, this is indeed impossible, but do not forget that you are God’s people! Hallelujah.
Romans 12:1-2:
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Paul urges us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Why should we believe this? Our lives and our living should be entirely offered to God. What does living sacrifice mean? It means that we live not for ourselves but for Christ; it is Christ living in us. When you look at those problems, believe that Jesus has the power to overcome, that Jesus has the power to conquer these trials. This is what holiness and being a living sacrifice look like. Amen. This way of living is pleasing to God.
Jesus loves us and supplies us unconditionally. He helps us to the end. People can help each other and love each other, and we should not deny this. However, in most cases, the love between people is conditional, and the help between people is also conditional. Only God’s love is unconditional! We need to view our lives with this mindset, believing in Jesus’ power and authority in your life. Look at your current life and circumstances through Jesus’ eyes, and your heart will be joyful! Amen.
Romans 12:2: Do not conform to the pattern of this world.
The world here refers to the viewpoints and lifestyles of people, which is what is meant by the three views. Do not conform to the three views of the world because they are not very accurate. They have their own ways of thinking. We need to use God’s way of thinking. They have their own perspectives, and we must look at all people and all things through Christ. They judge things based on their own strength, whether they can win or lose; we judge things through God’s strength, and we will definitely win. In God, there is no failure. Amen!
When we look at the world and people from God’s perspective, we need to renew our minds; otherwise, if we look at problems from the same perspective as the world, we will still become discouraged and complain, and there will be no difference! Therefore, we need to use God’s word to renew our thoughts and ideas every day. This is why we need to read a passage of God’s word every day to renew ourselves; otherwise, we will instinctively use our past fixed thinking to think about problems or certain people, possibly thinking very poorly of others.
This is just an instinctive thought, just like the Israelites, who had been slaves for so many years, always working for others, their hearts filled with negative and complaining energy. Even if you tell them good things, they cannot take it in. Joshua and Caleb spoke very clearly, but these people seemed to instinctively filter out positive and encouraging words, only able to find the negative parts of the words.
Are there people around you like this? You tell them many good things, but if there is one word that does not align with their feelings, they will remember that one and repeatedly think about it, imagining how bad it is and calculating against you. Perhaps when you said that, you were just expressing your feelings at that moment and had no other thoughts, but because this person is filled with negativity, they can amplify the negative.
We should not live like this; living like this is too exhausting. Train your heart to always rejoice! Amen! Even if others convey negativity to you, you should say, “I thank God for this matter; our God will surely solve this problem!” Hallelujah! Do not imitate the world and its viewpoints; let your mind be renewed and transformed! How to renew it? Look at what God’s goodness is! Look at what God’s pleasing will is! Look at how much Jesus loves you! This is what you should often think about. The more you think about these things, the more joyful your heart will become!
What is the primary reason many people get sick? It is because of a gloomy mood, and the body reacts with anger and worry! Some reports mention this; girls or women who suffer from breast diseases or gynecological diseases often have these issues stemming from anger. If you are often gloomy and magnify negative things, it can lead to depression and emotional disorders. Too many people, because the environment is terrible and they see no hope, become anxious and worried, ultimately developing a habit of pessimism and disappointment. Even when good things come, they say, “This may not last,” only seeing problems, only seeing others’ faults, and only seeing their own lack! These people often wear frowns.
To change this is not difficult; just shift your focus! Amen. Your problem may indeed be small, but if you keep staring at it, it will grow larger. This is like a small leaf; when held in your hand, it is just a small leaf. The farther it is from your eyes, the smaller it appears. But if it is close to your eyes, it will block your entire vision, even blocking out sunlight! A small leaf can obstruct your view.
Many problems in life may indeed be very small, but if you keep staring at them, they will grow larger and larger. This is a natural reaction of the human pupil; as you keep adjusting your focus, it will grow larger and larger, stealing your joy, peace, and confidence.
Do not magnify your problems; hold on to God’s promises, magnify God’s power, and infinitely magnify God’s power. You cannot go wrong with that! Amen. What we fear is that our own poverty limits God’s power. This poverty may not necessarily refer to financial poverty; it could be that our vision is too small, our imagination is too limited. Keep thinking about God’s power, magnifying God’s power more and more; God can do this, and it is not an exaggeration! The more you magnify God’s power and meditate on God’s love for you, the more joy will fill you! You can walk out of doubt and into faith; walk out of discouragement and into joy!
Of course, joy is not about laughing all day; that is not very practical. The joy I speak of is a calm and stable heart. Even when there are storms, there is no fear because you know Jesus is asleep in the boat. What is there to worry about? Amen! Even when there are difficulties, the Holy Spirit is with you, so what is there to worry about? If you do have worries, pray to our Heavenly Father. Hallelujah! Let Him lead us out of these confusions, believing that God will surely provide and turn things around!
Let me give a common example from life: Some people, when they encounter traffic jams, immediately become frustrated and anxious, honking their horns incessantly. Just listening to the frequency of their honking makes you think about how anxious they are! But similarly, when encountering such a problem, you can directly turn on some worship music, and your mood will not be affected by the environment. Hallelujah! Do not let these small problems in life steal your joy. Train your heart to always rejoice! Hallelujah! Even when facing such problems, you can smile. Even when stuck in traffic, yelling does not help; it will only make you feel more anxious and restless. Instead, enjoy that part of the journey.
Our lives are like a journey; sometimes there are traffic jams. We want to move forward but cannot, and we want to retreat but cannot. It seems life has reached a narrow gap! Many people encounter similar bottlenecks in business and work. So what should we do? During this process, do not rush to do things. Even if you get out to push the car, it will not help. Calm down and look up to God’s provision. At this moment, you can meditate on God’s word, listen to worship music, and God will lead you! Do not let your heart be influenced by these environments. It is impossible to be stuck for a year, and it is not possible to say you will be stuck for a month.
In this small rhythm, it is better to adjust your frequency, allowing your heart not to be affected by the current environment. Believe that God has good intentions, and you can enjoy every day of your life. It is all about training your heart! If this matter troubles you, change your thinking and look at it from another angle, and you will see God’s joy and His good will! Amen. Choose to train your heart to always rejoice, knowing that God is still in control.
Finally, let’s look at a passage of scripture, Psalm 16:5-8:
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Everyone should apply such scriptures in their lives. The Lord means the God who has made a covenant with me! This God has also made a covenant with you. He is your inheritance, your portion, and what you have, He maintains for you. If the Lord does not guard the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. What does this mean? If God does not maintain your inheritance, you cannot keep it.
The Israelites could enter Canaan, but that does not mean they could keep the beautiful land. External enemies will also know that this place is very good and will attack it. But if God maintains it for you, no one can take it away. Just like your life, from the day you accepted Jesus, you are in Jesus’ hands. Jesus said very definitively: “No one can snatch you out of My hand,” because He maintains you!
If we have worries and anxieties, entrust your career, your family, and your concerns to our Lord, and let Him maintain them for you! He has measured out your boundaries and placed you in pleasant places. What God gives you is certainly better than what you can imagine or what you have worked hard for! Just follow His footsteps, like sheep following the shepherd. The shepherd knows where the freshest grass is and where the best water is; He will lead the flock there. Just follow Him, and this is our trust in God! Trust that the shepherd will lead us this way, and our hearts will always rejoice. Each day will be filled with hope as we go out, work, and interact with others! Hallelujah.
When you think of our God as such a God, your heart will surely praise our Lord often, and you will rejoice always! You will also speak words of praise! Hallelujah! I hope everyone places our Lord before you, always before you. He is at your right hand, and you will not be shaken!
The right hand in the Bible represents victory, authority, and glory. This means that God is your glory, your strength, and your protection, so you do not need to worry! Rest in Him, and our hearts can always rejoice. Today, I hope that through this sharing, brothers and sisters will train their hearts to always rejoice, no matter what difficulties or problems they encounter. Do not be discouraged or hopeless; we know He is still seated as King! He still loves me and will help me. Hallelujah!
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you for giving us such a wonderful time to gain strength from your word. You tell us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything! You are the Lord who loves us. Although we will encounter difficulties, we pray to you, believing that you will surely help us, and we can give thanks! You let us rejoice always, which is your will for us in Christ Jesus. You do not want us to be constantly anxious. As a new week begins, add this joy to the brothers and sisters, let them meditate on your word, and this joy will fill their hearts.
Although the environment may be difficult, we believe you are above the environment! Although we may encounter some storms, you have overcome the storms! These momentary troubles are meant to achieve an eternal glory that far outweighs them all! Thank you and praise you. Please lead our brothers and sisters, especially when they are weak and discouraged, to receive this message, so they can be renewed in strength and live by holding on to God’s promises. All glory be to you. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen!