JOYS AND CONCERNS

Casting ALL YOUR CARE upon HIM, for HE CARES for you – 1 Peter 5:7

There is not a single human being without “cares” or “concerns,” but Peter admonished that you cast ALL YOUR CARE upon the One whose Shoulders are broad and strong enough to bear them all – our LORD Jesus! Ponder on these pertinent questions: Can cares and concerns co-exist with JOY? Does the reality of JOY preclude cares and concerns? Do cares and concerns cancel Joy? The illuminating words of a beloved woman of God, Julie Ruth Harley, offer some answers:

"Everything cannot be clearly labelled as a joy or a concern. In many joys there are hidden concerns. When you get married it is joyful, but then you find you wake up every day of your life with the same person. When you have a baby it is joyful, but then they become teenagers. The same is true for concerns. Often in the midst of a challenging situation we find hidden joy. We live in the space between joys and concerns… One gift of spiritual life is learning to find the joy that is hidden in suffering. Paul is a wise teacher in this way. He writes his letter to the Philippians from a cold, dark prison cell. He is reaching out to a young congregation threatened from the outside and fractured from the inside. His message? “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.”

Pastor Julie Harley knew what it means to find Joy, not just amidst cares and concerns, but in adversity. The above quotes were part of her valedictory pastoral sermon in December 2012, having been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS). Rather than succumb to sorrow, Julie reflected on life and counted it all joy. She concluded as follows:

"I’ve preached in dozens of churches. I’ve had a fine education, and learned my doctor of ministry degree. I was blessed with great parents and a loving family. I have the best daughters in the world. I am privileged with amazing friends. I served wonderful congregations for 16 years and worked as a chaplain for 11 years. I wrote a book and ran a half-marathon…I’m the luckiest woman on the face of the earth, because I COUNT IT ALL JOY. Amen”

She never expressed the fear of death, but wrote in another post: “My last year with ALS has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life…When God wills; I am ready for it to be over.” She joyfully slept in the Lord on 14 February 2014.

Beloved, the secret of Joy is not found in the absence of trials, but in the midst of them. You can choose to either be depressed under the weight of cares or to cast all of your cares unto the Lord, and learn to find HIS JOY amidst life’s diverse concerns. Even death cannot destroy true joy!