Advent Challenge Day 17
When You Have Troubles
Read Together
Psalm 34:1-10, 17-20
Light three candles and say together
O magnify the Lord with me.
(from Psalm 34:3 )
Reflection
So, not only did David write this Psalm after pretending to be insane so that a King wouldn't kill Him, but He also wrote the Psalm as an acrostic poem. Each of the first 21 verses begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Because when you've just escaped with your life, there's nothing better than an acrostic to help you find joy.
Honestly, it sounds a little ridiculous. But, so too is the concept of finding joy even when life isn't making us happy. David, the writer of many Psalms, was acquainted with all kinds of hardships. His life was in danger countless times. He was chosen for a job that he was barely qualified for, and almost no one in his life thought that he was cut out for it. He screwed up time and time again, ruining lives in the process. He had times of heartbreak and longing. He suffered the loss of a best friend and a beloved child. He raised children who antagonized him. His family was full of drama and conflict.
Do you recognize your life story in any of those descriptions?
David does not shy away from pouring out his heart, including the pain and hardship, and yet, he rejoices. He gives glory to God. He speaks of the goodness of God.
It almost doesn't make sense. This is an attitude of joy that seems impossible to access.
I once got into an argument with a high school teacher who claimed that the goal of life was happiness. I strongly disagreed. I argued that happiness was circumstantial and that it was predicated on experiencing unhappiness. We are able to recognize happiness when we know what sadness feels like. Living in a constant state of happiness would not feel happy. It would get dull and we would simply seek more things that would fill our desire for pleasure. And since happiness is generally something that is hard to sustain, having an ultimate goal of happiness can also tank our relationships. Prioritizing our happiness could make it harder to accept the long-term gifts that come from being in relationship with others. No one can make us entirely happy. Love is inherently selfless but seeking personal happiness is inherently selfish. These things are incompatible. Happiness is a lovely part of life, but it is not a healthy ultimate goal.
But God doesn't call us to live unhappy lives either. We aren't called to simply walk around in a permanent state of self-flagellation. Some of the loveliest blessings in life are those pure moments of happiness.
So, if we can’t be in a permanent state of happiness nor are we asked to be in a permanent state of unhappiness, what should we aim for?
Joy.
It is what we see in this passage of Scripture. Joy, seen here, is an acknowledgement of the realities of life while also acknowledging the goodness of God. Joy is a heart focused more on God than on our pain because we know how deeply God wants to heal that pain. Joy is claiming God's good plan for our lives, even when the current situation makes the outcome of that plan unclear. Joy is holding onto the final victory even when the battle is still being waged around us. As we do these things, we can begin to rejoice — we can let the joy flow through us.
We practice this very attitude when we intentionally participate in Advent. We are doing it when we acknowledge the dark and focus on the small, beautiful flickers of light. We do it when we sit in front of our tree after a long, exhausting day, seeking the quiet and the peace. We don't remove the realities of our darkened, tired world during Advent. No, we shift our focus and see how much beauty can shine into that.
Talk About
- Which is easier to access in your life: discouragement or encouragement?
- What does joy mean to you?
- How can you add more joy into your life, regardless of the day-to-day circumstances you experience?
Pray Together
Lord, I am bursting with joy over what you've done for me! My lips are full of perpetual praise. I'm boasting of you and all your works. So let all who are discouraged take heart.
Amen.
Put it in Action
Create an acrostic poem. Start with a word like “Joy” or use the word “Christmas” for a challenge. You can also use the alphabet. Come up with a word or a sentence for each of those letters. Focus your poetry on attributes of God or things you can rejoice about!