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I am not an avid sports fan like many people are, but there is a simple principle that I have learned and it applies to most sports. The person that is playing the best is the one that the other team wants to take out.
Tech directors face a similar situation. When you are making great strides for the Kingdom of God you will take more hits that just sitting on the sidelines.
I think that many people face the “Monday Ministry Hangover.” You've served hard and accomplished great things and now you feel like you are getting hit from the left and the right. It's like you have a target on your back that says, “kick me” and you can't seem to fight it.
These times can be some of the most discouraging times in ministry. You felt like you were on a spiritual high yesterday and now you are in the valley of despair. But don't despair. Don't lose hope and give up!
When we find that we have used up our strength fighting the battles of life we need to realize that there is an unlimited source of strength that is available to us. Instead of letting the situations that attack us drag us down into depression and despair we can tap into a strength source that is overflowing. What is this source of strength? Joy.
Joy is not an external emotion like happiness. It's something that rises up from inside.
Nehemiah 8:10c: Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!
So this secret source of strength is not dependent on your performance, your circumstances or how strong of a person you are. This strength depends on your attitude. Is your life overflowing with joy? Or does something else flow out?
Here's an experiment for you if you are brave enough. Ask three people that are close to you if they consider you a joyful person. If they do not then there may be a lack of strength in your life.
Now please don't misunderstand happiness for joy. Happiness is based on the happenings of life. But Joy is something that flows from the inside. It is the even keel that keeps you joyful and rejoicing even when the storms of life blow you around.
So, how do you tap into this joy? Well honestly many people just sit around and wait for feelings of joy to arise. Those who do that will be waiting a long time. We need to prime the pump of joy. We need to obey the Scripture that says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” Did you read the subtext of that verse? Paul wrote these words and then realized that he needed to say it again.
We need to command ourselves to rejoice. And then we need to tell it to ourselves again. It is not easy to be joyful, but it starts with rejoicing in God our rock. When you are feeling like you are slowly being sucked into the quicksand of circumstances it is time to rejoice! Again I say, rejoice!
You may not always feel like giving praise. You may not always feel like being thankful. You may not feel very joyful. But now is the time to rejoice in the Lord. Praise Him for who He is and all that He has done in your life. Thank Him for his goodness and faithfulness.
As you rejoice you will begin to feel the joy rising up from within you. It is not an external emotion like happiness, but something that rises up from inside. And as this joy rises you will also have the strength of God to do all that He has called you to do.
This joy will give you strength and comfort even when you don't feel like you have any strength left to give. Instead of relying on your own strength it is time to rely on God's!
