Some people in my community group have been going through "The Fruitful Life" by Jerry Bridges. The book goes through each of the fruits of the Spirit and examines how they look in our lives.
Tonight, I read the chapter on joy. Bridges goes through some of the things that hinder our joy, such as sin. One thing he mentions that I had not considered is an overemphasis on deriving joy from our works and ministry instead of God's work for us. Bridges says even though he has had the privilege of writing popular books that God has used, his joy is not rooted in this success but that his name is written in heaven. He challenges us to examine the source of our joy:
"Perhaps you don't feel you have much to show for your life. Maybe you haven't written a book, or seen scores come to Christ through your witness, or done anything else that seems significant. But is your name written in heaven? If it is, you have as much reason to rejoice as the most well-known and "successful" Christian. Nothing you or I will ever do can possibly compare with having our names written in heaven. The most humble Christian as well as the most famous Christian stand together on that common ground." (p. 78)Let's strive to remember that our names are written in heaven and take great joy in that fact. We can't base our joy solely the success of our ministry but rather on Christ's finished work on the cross that allows us to become children of God.
