The Encounter

It comes much like a thief in the night; unexpected firey arrows from the adversary. Blazing across the unseen sky they light up things we hope to never see. We all encounter struggles and hurdles in life. As we take on each hurdle we find ourselves trying to grasp happiness. The lie is that we can find this happiness in things. Maybe you problem is money, so you think money can fix it and give you happiness, maybe it is relationships so relationships might bring you happiness, maybe you have lost substance so you look to a substance to bring happiness. Paul, in Philippians 2 doesn’t even tell how you can be happy because he knows that happiness that stays and is not fleeting is something different and that happiness is instead called joy. Paul instead instructs us to have Joy. Paul explains that he knows Joy. He had difficult circumstances that could rob his happiness. He was in jail. He was beaten. In the middle of that jail Paul had joy. He goes on to talk to his friends that he had been instructing and encouraging and from the jail he says to those outside of jail to make his joy complete. He gives them instruction on how to find joy. You find joy in Christ. You find joy in obedience and what is this obedience? Be captured by Jesus. He says in way to open our eyes to the one who pursues us. To be obedient to him. As the one who pursues us with love we pursue each other with love. Paul says there is comfort here. There is compassion and tenderness. The obedience is being of one heart that cares for each other as Jesus cares for us. This is the obedience that bring ls joy and bring happiness.
We all encounter problems but we are all given a free gift. A gift that is right in front of us no matter what is around us. It is a gift of love. When you encounter Jesus and are swept away by his love we find joy. When we share this joy to the world around you it becomes complete.