White Lace and Promises: What You Focus On Will Grow

The message Sunday morning was entitled, "Time to Unmask Your Hidden Joy." There was so much deep truth in the sermon. I'll try to unpack a little of it here.

"Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with the uncontainable joy and peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope." Romans 15:13 (TPT)

I also like the New Living Testament version.

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him-then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

To sum it all up, Joy and Peace are not surface emotions that we can conjure up. They are found when we trust in Christ. Jesus prayed for his disciples that they would have HIS joy and that their joy would overflow.

What did HIS joy look like? The kind that could endure the cross knowing the joy that would follow, the joy that came from the perfect union with His Father. John 15:7 says, "But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you-then ask whatever you desire and it will be done." When we live in life-union with HIM, we are able to trust HIM, because we know He is a good, good Father. "What kind of Father when you ask for a fish, would give you a serpent. If you, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask HIM."

The well of joy is deep within in each of us if we have Christ living in us. So why do we not experience that joy. A part of the sermon that spoke volumes to me was a simple statement made, "What you focus on will grow."

I don't have a "green thumb." Maybe it's because I really don't like to get my hands dirty, literally and figuratively.

I took a photo of the Camelia Bush that is in front of The Sunshine House where I work. It is gorgeous.

It blooms several times during the year. It's blooms are large and fragrant. This time of year it is especially beautiful. I Googled the Camelia since I know so very little about planting.

1. The Camelia is a perineal.

2. The best time to plant the bush is in Fall or early Spring.

3. A deep root system is necessary to grow larger blooms. Plants must be planted 14-18 inches deep.

Here's the tricky part...

There must be enough sunlight, but not too much.

Enough water, but not too much.

Enough warm weather...not too hot and not too cold.

Thus another reason, why I don't do plant! As a young thing, someone must have given it perfect care and focused greatly on every detail because it is beautiful and continues to bloom year after year.

How does all of this relate to JOY? If we focus on the negative, we can stunt the growth of joy in our lives. As we focus on God's goodness, it will grow. As we focus on His goodness, we remember all the ways He has been faithful before and we know He will be faithful now. Therefore, we can trust HIM.

This week was my annual mammogram. I always have a 3-D because of the deep tissue and last year I had to have a sonogram. I learned last week that they wanted to get another sonogram. This unnerved me at first. After the message, I began to concentrate on the message of JOY! I memorized the scripture this week from Isaiah, "Behold, God is my salvation! I am confident, unafraid and I will trust in you. The Lord God is my might and my melody; He has become my salvation! With triumphant joy you will drink deeply from the wells of salvation. In that glorious day, you will say to one another, "give thanks to the Lord and ask him for more! Tell the world about all He does! Let them know how magnificent He is!"

I was able to experience the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit this week as I waited for the results in between the tests and seeing the doctor. I was able to wait with confident expectation that everything was going to be okay. As I focused on HIS might, He became my melody! My joy! All was well!