HOW JOY IS CREATED IN PROBLEMS
...in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds
...so that my joy was greater than ever.
2 Corinthians 7.4, 7
"My brothers, count it all joy when you face any kind of temptation...."
James 1.2-5.
Jesus said,
"In this world you will have tribulation,
but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." John 16.33.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us how the Holy Spirit creates joy out of hardships and troubles, making all things, anything, and everything "work out for our good." Romans 8.28.
First, in chapter 7.5, Paul identifies what he means by "trouble:"
1. No rest for his body
2. Harassed at every turn
3. Conflicts all around him
4. Fears within himself
5. All this understandably produced a "downcast" feeling (v. 6), perhaps even depression, coming from the endless and hopeless series of hardships Paul faced throughout his entire ministry.
But, in all this Paul found greater, even boundless joy and encouragement, more than he had ever known. The Holy Spirit tranformed Paul's problems into love, peace, joy, comfort, and encouragement.
How He made Paul's problems produce these great and good things is the way He will do so for us.
First, Paul had become a man of great integrity, honesty, truthfulness, openness, and transparency with others like these Corinthians--2 Cor. 6.11-12.
He neither withheld and withdrew from people, always ""upfront" with others.
This was because He was pure of heart in the presence of God and had nothing to fear from God and therefore, nothing to fear from any person.
Therfore, Paul could ask the Corinthians to "open wide your hearts also." 6.13. He had nothing to fear from what they would say to him, but he also knew how important it was that they be honest about any criticism, fear, anger, resentment, etc., that they felt against him.
Such honesty and openess removes the barriers to trust, peace, love, and joy.
Because Paul was "real," genuine, sincere, the Corinthilans knew he was trustworthy, and they responded to his appeal. They and Paul learned to respect, honor, appreciate, and trust one another more than ever before.
This was "growth" and increase.
This was more of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul knew about --Galatians 5.16-24--and that Jesus had promised--John 15.
These are incredible benefits that the Holy Spirit provides for us when we
1. "...deny ourself and take up our cross daily."
2. Become disciples who "abide in and with Christ daily," every day, day and night, all day, all night.
3. Abide in Christ, like a branch of a vine, we are filled with His life, by the Holy Spirit.
4. Are being filled with and by the Holy Spirit, walking in the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised.
5. Like Paul, find love, joy, and peace in ever greater portions.
6. Abound in abundant life with the Lord Jesus and one another, as we grow in grace and knowledge of His glory, honor and praise--2 Peter 3.18--filled with all the fulness of Christ--Colossians 2.9-10; John 1.16-18.
"Now unto Him Who is able to do
exceedingly, abundantly, above
all that we can ask or think,
be praise, honor, and glory, now and forever.
Amen.
Ephesians 3.20-21.
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