Have you had your Joy Juice
today? Regardless of which way the winds
of life are blowing, set your sails toward joy!
When sailing a boat, a good skipper
can swing the boom to orient his mainsail to catch the wind, turn the rudder and
steer the boat wherever he would like it to go. I would not have a clue how to
do this, so I’d depend on a seasoned sailor…someone who knew what to do, a
person with experience.
The
same is true when the winds of life bluster and blow. Have you noticed how one
person can sink while another pushes on and comes out stronger? For example, Joni Eareckson Tada, who was
left a quadriplegic after a diving accident, turned her disability into a
ministry which has touched thousands….maybe millions. Others in her same condition have chosen to
drown in self-pity.
Why
does one person thrive while another wilts and gives up? Charles Swindoll gives
this explanation:
“We
all face similar obstacles to developing a deeper spiritual life—yet some
maintain the status quo, while others greatly succeed. As we begin the journey toward an intimate,
personal relationship with the Almighty Creator, let me offer a warning.
Developing these disciplines into enduring habits will not come naturally…. Don’t
let excuses justify quitting. Remember
that our desire is intimacy with God. Such intimacy grows into godliness. Not
godliness on a schedule, but a growing Christlikeness that takes root in your
soul and gradually takes over your whole self. (That takes time. You’re not
going to become a Martin Luther by the weekend or a Mother Teresa by the end of
the month!”)
May we each consistently and persistently and
joyfully set sail with the Master at the helm.
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