Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Philippians 1:25–26
When we arrive at dilemmas in life and are unable to decipher the right direction to go, if we hope to maintain our joy in the process, we must (repeat must) allow the Lord to be our Guide, our Strength, our Wisdom—our all! It is one thing to read those words, but so tough to carry through on them. When we do, however, it is nothing short of remarkable how peaceful and happy we can remain. The pressure is on His shoulders, the responsibility is on Him, the ball is in His court, and an unexplainable joy envelops us. As viewed by others, it may even be considered outrageous joy.
To be sure, such an unusual method of dealing with dilemmas is rare—there aren’t many folks willing to turn the reins over to God—and calls for humility, another rare trait among capable people. But it works! The Lord is a Master at taking our turmoil and revealing the best possible solution to us.
As Peter once wrote:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6–7)
When we do that, He trades us His joy for our anxiety. Such a deal! As He then works things out and makes it clear to us which step to take next, we can relax, release the tension, and laugh again.
This is extremely hard for Type A personalities. If you happen to be more intelligent than the average person, it’s even more difficult. And if you are the super-responsible, I-can-handle-it individual who tends to be intense and impatient, letting go and letting God take charge will be one of life’s most incredible challenges. But I urge you, do it! Force yourself to trust Another who is far more capable and intelligent and responsible than you (or a thousand like you) ever could be. And in the meantime, enjoy!
An edited adaption from Charles R. Swindoll, Laugh Again: Experience Outrageous Joy (Thomas Nelson, 1995), 68–69.
