Abiding and Abounding

07/19/23 – 07/27/23

Joy in Our Purpose

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  07/22/23

Read Philippians 2:12-18

Our society is riddled with discontentment. Why? Because our culture tells us we are the center of our lives—that everything should be ordered around whatever whims and delights emerge from our hearts. But, my friends, our hearts are deceitful (see Jeremiah 17:9). The Truth is that supreme joy is found only in the divine Creator of the universe—only in the infinitely and eternally majestic.

As Christians, we must guard ourselves against the dangerous attitude of discontentment that our culture propagates. When we grumble against God’s will for our lives, we drown out the joy of the Lord, we disregard the awesomeness of our salvation, and we mistrust the sovereign, loving hand of God. When we grumble, we show the world that we are trying to do life our own way, relying on our own strength and wisdom. But this attitude only weakens our faith and makes us ineffective witnesses for Christ. Non-believers will look at our grumbling and think, “Who wants that? I’m fine the way I am.”

God designed us for greater things than grumbling—He made us to reflect His glory for eternity—His virtue, love, righteousness, and more! Today, rejoice in God’s purpose for you. As you do, you will rise above trials and suffering and carry the light of life to those lost in the darkness of discontentment.

Prayer: Jesus, You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. All things hold together in You, and all things were created through You and for You. May this Truth humble me so that I rejoice in You whatever my circumstances. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16).