So Much Grief Demands Defiant Joy

So much grief in this pandemic! Several people I know are now gone to their heavenly home. We are warned about being involved socially with anyone outside our household. This sadness underlines our holiday preparations and makes our future festivities uncertain. But we open up our hearts to the refreshing of this season anyway. We plough through with defiant joy! 

What other choice brings hope? Defiance is defined as: 

a daring or bold resistance to any opposing force; open disregard; contempt; a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest. 

We will choose to focus on goodness, hope and mercy and in that declaration our joy will increase. Listening to several sermons this weekend lassoed in my focus to these thoughts: God's plan continues in the midst of disruption, our troubles are light and momentary and have an expiration date!, each of our decisions effects future actions, and God initiates his involvement into our lives. Joy is possible if we believe he will never leave us or forget us and that nothing is randomly proportioned or wasted in his economy. We rarely know what he is accomplishing in the disruption, grief and trouble that he has allowed or even brought for us to experience. I'm not of the belief that every adverse circumstance is from God, but he can use each one to transform us into greater glory. 

Our joy also depends on our response to his custom-made, unique purpose for us.

“Some plants die if they have too much sunshine. It may be that you were planted where you get only little, you are put there by the loving Farmer, because only in that situation will you bring forth fruit for perfection.” Charles Spurgeon in Morning and Evening Devotional, Day November 11.

Hosta plants need lots of shade. I've watched them turn brown and wither in their unsuited sunny spot.

Likewise, I've had vegetable plants yield little fruit, or slow ripening fruit, because they lacked the right amount of sunshine. We all vary in our reception of nourishment. I like the thought that the Farmer has created me for a particular climate. I can't compare myself to you, because I may need shade to blossom, while you might flourish better in full sun. If someone's life seems shrouded by hardship and trouble, the Farmer has provided just what they need, and He knows they have the makeup to be enhanced by those surroundings. Each of us was made to "bloom where we are planted". May we not judge and criticize each other, but respond to our Maker's tender care. Then we can offer our blooms and plumes to be joyfully displayed in his colorful bouquet. In the vase, we all drink from the same well of mercy, with his presence shining exactly right upon us.

Show your defiant joy today! Discouragement will not defeat us! The Farmer won't let his crop be unfruitful!