Today's Passage - Phil 4:10

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 4:10   I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.   Paul said here that "I rejoice greatly in the Lord..."  This epistle was actually written during the rockiest time in Paul's life.  He wanted to spread the gospel for the Lord, but he kept on encountering persecution and danger.  Paul had a ton of reasons to complains, but he didn't, and instead he said "I rejoice greatly in the Lord!"  Here I see the secret for Paul to be joyful, and that is "in the Lord."  To Paul, rejoicing is not a goal to be pursued, but it's a result of the process of depending on God.   Many Christians seem to think it's the other way around!  We go everywhere to attend seminars on how to be joyful, and we buy books on "secret of happiness."  No matter how much we hear or read, we still don't have joy!  That is because we neglected the process of depending on God.  Joy is not something we make an effort to pursue, and it's not something we can imitate on the outside.  Joyfulness is a natural result when someone knows God and depends on God.  When a person knows God and depends on God, he or she will begin to enjoy the pleasure of enduring hardship together with fellow brothers and sisters.   When you encounter hardship, have you tried to share it with the brothers and sisters, and ask them to pray for you?  Very often we ask others "is there anything I can pray for you," but it's hard for us to say "I have a need, please pray for me!"  When we humbly ask others to enter our life and share our burden, we will experience a great joy.  I don't mean you should go around and announce that you have a need, but you can at least share your need and pray with a couple brothers and sisters that you can trust or with your cell group.  Don't feel embarrassed because such a brotherly relationship in the Lord might be exactly what others are looking for as well.  During hardship, if you know there are brothers and sisters who care about you and are praying for you, you will have renewed joy to dash forward for the Lord.             Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I ask that you teach me to depend on you.  I am willing to put down the fake and self-relying mask that I've been hiding in my heart, to learn to share by burdens with brothers and sisters.  I plead for good spiritual partners whom I can dash forward with.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!