MY SOURCE OF JOY
Hello everyone! Greetings! I hope that wherever you are, whatever situation and condition you are in right now, you are filled with peace and joy from the Lord.
I’m writing this from Los Angeles. In December 2021, my wife, 2 kids and I went for a holiday in LA. We initially planned to be here for a month but as you might have guessed it, our family was infected with Covid-19. So we have to delay our trip back to Indonesia for more than a month. I am grateful that now we are all healthy and well, and will travel back to Indonesia within the next few days. None of us experienced serious symptoms during our sickness. It was really a few detours on our holiday here.
This trip has been filled with fun memories but we also experienced unexpected things. We experienced disappointment, tiredness and weariness. Like all of us, I believe that regardless of the abundance of goodness we have in life, we will never be able to satisfy our worldly desires.
A long holiday does not equate to continuous joyful days. And if we look closer, even if we own all the richness of the world, all the time and all our wishes, at the end of the day, we will still feel weary and tired.
Why? Because we are not perfect like our Lord, Jesus Christ. Imperfect means something is missing, incomplete or wrong. An imperfect thing is unable to fix itself.
A broken car couldn’t repair itself. A broken car can also be perfect when it is brought to a repair shop. It can be perfect when it is handled by the best technician. And the best technician for a broken car is its maker because the maker knows the ins and outs of the car. He knows what is missing, what is broken and needs to be fixed, which tools and spare parts are required.
Just as a broken car that needs the best technician to make it perfect, we can only be fixed when we know what we need. And no one can understand us better other than our Maker, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Trust me brethren, nothing can give us abundant joy other than Jesus Christ. King Solomon clearly explained this in Ecclesiastes 1.
The good news for you and I is, we know who is the source of our joy. Joy does not depend on the amount of money we own, the success of our career, the harmony of our family, nor on our ministry and health. For if our joy depends on any of those, we will be in despair.
No amount of money will satisfy us if we cannot be grateful. Regardless of how harmonious our family is, overtime there might be an issue that can disappoint us. The same goes with our ministry and health, as they will change overtime.
Jesus Christ is the only constant, truth and certain in this world. He is the source of abundant joy. Let us believe that in Jesus there is joy, hope and peace. If we remain in Him and He in us, we will be at peace, regardless of our situation.
In richness and in poverty, we will be joyful knowing that God is with us. In sickness, we will be joyful knowing that God is in control over our pain. He knows what is best and what is the best for each of us. In tiredness and weariness from our ministry, we can be still and at peace because Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
All the things that I have mentioned are clearly not easy to do. When our business is tough, as a man we feel insecure, worried and lacking. When we are sick, we worry for the future of our family and children. When we are tired of ministry, we worry about disappointing other people.
However, do you know what can help us in facing this? Friends. Those who can remind you and be a safe place where you can be open with your joy and disappointment in family, work and ministry.
I would like to encourage fellow men, wherever you are, to encourage one another in Christ. Remember that Christ knows what you’ve been through, what you are going through and what you will go through.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Keep trusting that all will work according to His plan and for His glory. In hardship, in pain, in weariness, let us keep trusting that God will be glorified through us. And this is the abundant joy, when we are following His calling to glorify Him.
Far more important than being strong in facing this life, is to strengthen our brothers in Christ. For as we strengthen each other, we will become stronger together.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 )
In Abundant Joy,
Andrew Hartono (Global Men Coordinator)
Next: GOD’S WAITING ROOM
