Moments of Joy

Matt Mikula / Assistant Facilities Manager

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

This year so far for the Mikula household has been a tough one. It’s not exactly turning out to be a better year than last. Between sickness, exhaustion from non-sleeping kids, and jobs being super crazy busy, there seems to be no rest from the chaos of the season that we are in. But of course, God has His ways of encouraging us through.

I was doing a devotional the other day focused on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24:

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

The verses that stuck out to me the most were 16-18. They say to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Even though this season is very tiring and discouraging, we have had so many moments of joy.

Remember to thank God for those moments because He gave them to you to give you hope; the hope that He’s got you through your hard times.