In the summer of 2016, I was covering a roof with protective sheeting when I was caught in a downpour that soaked my clothes through. I did not think much of it. I changed my clothes and went on with my life. A day later, I awoke at one o’clock in the morning with severe back pain. I could not move, because the slightest motion caused excruciating pain and made it difficult to breathe. As I lay in bed, I thought that I had become disabled and did not know how I would go on living. No one was nearby to help me. My phone was turned off and out of reach. But I decided to be thankful and rejoice. My face lit up with a smile, and my lips began thanking God for such trials. I still could not move, and then I also needed to use the bathroom. So I decided to fight for my life. After trying in various ways for half an hour, I finally managed to get out of bed and even to walk. I continued to rejoice, and happiness overflowed in my heart. Eventually, I fastened a heating pad to my back and made it through the rest of the night that way.
By morning the pain was gone, and I went to work. The following night it all happened again. Once more I thanked God for such unusual trials, and my joy remained with me. For a week I slept only one or two hours a night, yet I continued going to work and, surprisingly, felt fairly energetic. After a week the pain disappeared, and everything returned to normal. I concluded that it had been sciatica, and I did not like the experience at all. But during that time I learned something.
There have been many other times when the enemy of souls wanted to discourage me and plunge me into despair, but I chose joy. More than anything, I was afraid of losing it, because the diseases and curses described in Deuteronomy 28 frightened me. I decided that it was better to rejoice and obey God than to suffer under curses and become ill. This proved to be a very effective means of protection in my life.
When I learn about problems or sorrow in the lives of my friends, I immediately ask whether they would like to learn happiness and joy during that time. Not everyone understands me. Yet this is precisely how I learn. For me, every crisis is an occasion for joy, and I immediately begin thanking God that He is near and has not abandoned me.
I have also experienced the following. In business, I sometimes had to invest money in various projects and wait for it to return with a profit. But the money did not come back. I understood that I was on the verge of bankruptcy, and it was not always clear what I should do. Yet I chose the path of joy and gratitude and simply waited to see how the Lord would help me. The words of Habakkuk in Habakkuk 3:17–18 came to mind: ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.’ These verses always sustained me. I understood that as long as I was alive, I could always think of something and continue living. At that moment, however, I could simply rejoice that I belonged to God, that the Lord had not abandoned me, and that even if I lost everything, Jesus would hold me firmly in His hand. This brought me great peace.
It also helps me to know that at the end of time I will have nothing left except my faith and my friends in the Lord. Therefore, I have resolved not to become attached to possessions. If I buy something I need for life, it brings me joy as something temporary, but nothing more. My joy is always with me so that my heart may delight in the Lord.
While preparing lessons and assignments for this school, I have often caught myself thinking that if I had spent that time doing paid work, my financial situation would be much better than it is now. But another thought immediately follows. If even one person benefits from my labor and begins to live and prepare for Eternity, or finds salvation and happiness in Jesus, that will be the finest reward for me—one that will bring me joy throughout Eternity. Then my heart feels so good, while God takes care of the material side of my life and performs astonishing miracles.
Once I invested all my money in materials and hired workers who did the job carelessly while I was away. Everything had to be torn out, thrown away, purchased again, and redone at my own expense, with no prospect of being paid for it. I had no money left. I was already considering what I would do next after the business closed, and I rejoiced over the new prospects of a wonderful future. But everything turned out differently. The workers corrected the defects at their own expense, the project was accepted, I was paid, and I continued moving forward.
Prophecies about the last days teach us that interesting events await us. At that time, it will not be my material possessions and savings that will be of use to me, but the spiritual inheritance being gathered now. That time has come, and one would have to be very blind not to understand that something unusual is happening in the world.
I know that a fire lies ahead of me—one I will not be able to avoid. Yet by faith I see Jesus in that fire, and I desire only one thing: not to lose hold of His hand during the trial and purification. In His Word He assures me that He will be with me. I already rejoice in the prospect of meeting Christ while I am still alive. What happiness this brings to my heart!
I have experienced the deaths of dear friends and loved ones many times, and I do not know how I will respond when this happens again in the future. But even now I am preparing myself to rejoice—not because they will die, but because if they die before I do, they will not have to endure the pain and suffering of our separation. Even now I thank God for giving me all these people, who brought joy to my heart until the day of their death. This temporary separation will be transformed into immeasurable joy on the day we meet at the first resurrection.
My own death does not frighten me either. Instead, it brings me joy to know that I will not even be aware that I have died; the very next moment for me will be awakening in a new body to live forever. That fills me with joy!
I could describe many more experiences and trials from which I emerged with the joy of victory, because love does not lose. I went through them with joy in my spirit because I had chosen to respond to problems that way.
But I will honestly say that my inner joy and cheerfulness are not always visible outwardly. Sometimes I forget to inform my face that I am happy, and many people want to know why I look so serious. I have to correct that misunderstanding at once.
If you think I see everything through rose-colored glasses, I must disappoint you. That is not so. Like yours, my life is subjected to many attacks from Satan. He is constantly ruining something along my path and trying to plunge me into discouragement. But even if I do not immediately understand how to respond, the habit of rejoicing helps me meet the trial in the right way. Then an understanding of how to move forward follows.
In joy I see the wisest solution to many problems. It is the weapon that will sustain me in the last days in a spirit of love and happiness.
And when I consider that my love in the Lord is the source and the underlying cause of my joy in the Lord, no war is frightening with such an arsenal.
It is easy to write and speak about these things after they are over. During a trial, there are times when I want to run away, but joy offers another way out.
Bible verses for this chapter:
Habakkuk 3:17–18; 1 Peter 4:12–14; James 1:1–2; Matthew 5:10–12; Proverbs 14:10; Psalm 126:5–6; Matthew 25:23; Luke 10:20; 15:10; John 15:11; 16:20, 24; 17:13; Romans 14:17; Philemon 1:7