This Month’s Theme:
A Joy That Endures
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
Artist’s Reflection
When we are asked to recall a time when we’d experienced great joy, we tend to think of past moments of celebration, success, and blessing. But joy is far from our heart and minds when we are in the midst of overcoming challenges or when we have to endure a difficult situation in life. We have attached “joy” to the former instead of the latter.
God’s Word reminds us that the joy we have within should not come from any situation but from hope. No matter how delightful or challenging our situation is, we have the greatest reason to remain joyful: the hope we have in our Redeemer. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, our giver of hope.
— Nico Ng
Join in the Conversation
The pursuit of happiness is fleeting, and highly dependent on our circumstances. The quest for eternal joy however, is different. It rests in the knowledge of who our God is, and in knowing that in the midst of challenges and changes, God is constant.
That alone is reason enough for us to rejoice, knowing no matter what comes our way, He never wavers and is perfectly in control. And this is how, even as trial and tribulations surround us, we still can “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
This month, we’re looking at A Joy That’s Endures. Journey with us as we discover what it’s like to live a joyful life with God as our anchor.
Got a story to share on what living a joyful life looks like to you? How do we maintain joy even when our circumstances look bleak? Or how do we remain faithful in prayer when we have exhausted ourselves praying?
Here are some subthemes to get you started:
- Growing in Endurance
- Growing in Contentment/Joy
- Growing in Faithfulness
Topics to Explore
Growing in Endurance: Waiting well, challenges, conflicts, perseverance, remembering God’s goodness, grieving, hard lessons, dealing with pain and suffering, unanswered questions, discouragement
Growing in Contentment/Joy: Joylessness, simplicity, trusting God, financial security, comparison, insecurities, loss, rest, being emotionally healthy, guarding our hearts, thankfulness, gratitude, fresh starts
Growing in Faithfulness: Creative ways to keep praying, building spiritual disciplines, being watchful in prayer, worry/anxiety, fasting, day-to-day faithfulness, finishing well, combating disbelief/doubt