Friday Question – Does your faith bring you joy?
Caveat: It’s probably worth noting before reading this that I have been fighting a particularly virulent attack of depression of late and this inevitably colours my view of things. The good news is that the cloud is beginning to lift.
Earlier in the week sally posted “World Weary” in which she said:
It seems to me that more and more people are world weary, and that as a Church we have a real opportunity to show a different way of being, the joy and peace that knowing and being known by God through Christ can bring even in hard times.
So to the question.
Quite simply, does your faith bring you joy? I’m going to admit that at times mine doesn’t, but then again, at times it does.
It seems to me that this is an important question, as what appeal will our faith have on others, if they cannot discern joy in us? Or put another way, our faith won’t be infectious if we’re miserable gits.
So over to you.
Tags: Christian Life
December 23rd, 2011 at 3:57 pm
In the winter when trees are bare,
You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit.
In the frost when the earth is barren,
You bring new hope to our souls.
In December when seeds are hidden in the soil,
The staff of life springs forth from the virgin womb
St. Ephraim the Syrian
Wait until Christmas Eve Mass, you will be bursting with joy.
December 23rd, 2011 at 5:12 pm
” … our faith won’t be infectious if we’re miserable gits.”
Christmas in the U.K. is not a time of faith but of hypocrisy consequently always make a point of being ultra-miserable on that day.
December 24th, 2011 at 11:11 am
I am pleased to hear your cloud is lifting, I find Joy and try to convey Joy to others because of my faith. I suffer from MS and have only managed to get to church once this year because of this. Am I sad far from it I have faith yes as you say some times are darker than others but having Christians around me puts a smile on my face and if you smile others do too.
December 24th, 2011 at 11:16 am
Thank you Don, despite your difficulties you cheered my spirit with that comment and put a smile on my face. Thank you.
December 25th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
I’m sorry about your depression. It seems to me that there is a spiritual darkness over the UK – noticeable when I have been in the US for a while and come back here. I think many Christians are not living in victory. I am not sure why that is but wonder if we don’t realise the importance of abiding in Christ and staying close to God as key to everything else? I find that when I am making time with God my top priority I am filled with much more joy because God speaks to me about things in my life and I am able to follow His way more easily. In answer to your question my faith does bring me lots of joy. That doesn’t mean that I am always happy, but for the most part I am
What brings me more joy than anything is to put worship music on and focus on God, to serve and help others, to think about the blessings God has given me, and to think about heaven where we will go one day and where there will be no tears, pain, tiredness or sin to deal with.
December 25th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
@Rhoda,
It seems to me that there is a spiritual darkness over the UK –
So much so that it is almost tangable.