joy’s danger.

where does your joy come from?
where is your peace grounded?
where does your heart abide?
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betrayal. grief. wickedness. calloused hearts. fear. shame.
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whether it is our own weakness or the failures of others... our joy is tempted to fleet every single day. even on our very best days, even when we ‘should’ be the happiest, the darkness is luring around the corner to whisk you away into despair, panic, detachment from your core - your joy and the fuel that keeps it burning.
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in everything Jesus moves through and within challenges and circumstance for your good. (rom 8:28) always. you are sinning, He will teach you. you are betrayed - He will invite you to gentleness. you are accused, cheated, lied to - He will invite you to kindness. you are questioned, persecuted, cast out from the group - He will invite you to love and patience.
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in every circumstance, Jesus will invite you to grow in virtue. in every circumstance, He will grant you the peace to preserve in fortitude if you merely accept. look back on this list.. your great teacher has experienced each of these circumstance already, in the flesh.. and He has given you a gracious example to respond in grace.
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Jesus, too, was betrayed, lied to, cheated, cast out of the group... how did He respond?
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what battle are you facing today?
what circumstance is threatening your joy?
what virtue is Jesus inviting you to bloom in your heart?
keep your joy, share your joy... be grounded in His peace and abide in His love so that the light of joy within you may never be blotted out by darkness.

“For all of you are children of the light* and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.” (1 thes 5:5)
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i don’t know if you are fighting with your parents, failing a class, hit in the parking lot 👋🏼, left out of your friend group, looking jealousy in the face, battling addiction, consumed by anger, on the side of the road with a flat tire... these are invitations to virtue or they are darkness seeking your joy - choose joy, name your virtues, and let the soldier of the world fight your battles.

“The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” (ex 14:14)

x courtney.