True Joy

When I was growing up I loved to be in the water in the summer. Whether it was a creek, a pond, lake, or a pool, I wanted to be in the water. Even though I loved to be in the water, there was still a fear that came along with that love; the unknown of what might be living in the water or even the fear of drowning.

One summer my family took a trip to Manatee Springs in Florida. Manatee Springs is a gorgeous spring-fed outlet off of the Suwannee1 River, which is in places forty feet deep with crystal clear water where you can see all the way to the bottom. In the park there is a fifteen high dive platform built over a portion of water that is forty feet deep, so you can jump without fear of hitting the bottom. However, as a seven year old, fifteen feet feels like thirty feet; in my young mind, there was no way someone could survive a jump from that height. Having the gift of an older brother that was always willing to coax me into doing things that would bring me pain or embarrassment, I was not eager to trust him when he told me it was safe. After him pleading with me to jump, the parents got involved, and assured me that it was indeed safe. I still did not believe them, although they did not have a history of telling me to do things that would bring me pain. So trusting that my parents had never led me into harm, I literally took a leap of faith. The high jump became my favorite activity of the trip, even to the point of where my parents had to beg me to quit jumping so we could leave.

It is hard to trust God. It is especially hard to trust God when He calls us to take a leap of faith when we are thinking, there is no way I will survive this. This leap of faith may come in the shape of a career change, a location change, to quit dating a certain person, or to witness to a certain person. There are times I find myself saying boldly, “I trust God” or “God is Sovereign” while standing firm on solid ground; but then I will find myself on a high dive platform of life, looking down, and thinking, “I do trust God?” or “God, you are sovereign, right?” My assurance comes at that point by knowing God has never led me astray, He has always provided, and He has always done exceedingly more than I could imagine when I simply trust Him.

I’m not sure what God is doing in your life currently. Maybe you are retired and He is leading you to volunteer your time at a woman’s crisis center or homeless shelter, maybe God is leading you to a career change, or maybe God is calling you to find pleasure in Him in a life of singleness. I’m not sure what leap of faith God is calling you to today. I do know though, that if you trust in God, take a leap of faith, and follow Him, then He will give you overabundant joy that is unimaginable.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

(John 15:10-11 ESV)