Cultivating Joy

Joy with some early mission staff
Joy with some early mission staff

Այս էջը ներկայումս հասանելի չէ հայերեն-ում.

In photos, Joy always looks JOY-FULL!

by Christine Platt CEO

Joy and Rejoicing are foundational GRN elements.

GRN founder Joy Ridderhof was renowned for rejoicing in any and every circumstance. It doesn't take a long look at the Bible to realise that God expects His children to be characterised by joy and to be a rejoicing people.

As we look at society around us, we don't see a lot of joy. In place of rejoicing we see stress, anger, sadness, depression, frustration, fear and busyness. Consider yourself ... have the worries of this world stolen your joy and stopped you from rejoicing?

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22). We are called to set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Col 3:2). We know that Jesus is preparing a place for us and will come to take us to be with him (Jn 14:3). We know that our Father is making us to be like Jesus so that he might be the firstborn within a large family (Rom 8:29). We rejoice because we are children of the most high God.

It is incredible that we whinge, whine and complain. For the sake of the joy that was set before him, Jesus endured the cross and disregarded its shame (Heb 12:2). After being flogged the apostles rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus' name (Act 5:41). The apostle Paul declared that he wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like Christ in his death (Phil 3:10). And me? I get frustrated by Sydney traffic!

Here at GRN Australia we are making a concerted effort to cultivate joy over the coming months. It is clear that this journey will take us through the subjects of peace, suffering, longing for home and probably through territory we have not yet imagined. This endeavour is a godly one and we trust that it will bring glory to God.

Joy was the theme of our annual family camp this year and it is a recurring cause of prayer, study and consideration. We will remember who we are and whom we serve and we will rejoice and give thanks.

Please join us in our quest and pray for our success.

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