What do you do when your soul is limping along? Some days are like that.  That’s me, this week. I am struggling to find my joy in this, the third week of Advent, when the theme is…JOY. It’s nothing catastrophic. Nothing legitimately distressing. It’s what my momma calls “the little foxes.”

Catch the foxes for us,
those little foxes that menace the vineyards,
For our vineyards are so vulnerable when they are in full bloom.

Song of Solomon 2:15, VOICE

The little foxes can keep us from abiding in the Vine (John 15:1-8)…life’s trials and difficulties can prevent us from resting in Jesus. Our struggles can steal and squash the perfect fruit of relationship with Him. Spiritual distractions can make it hard to feel the “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” that Jesus has already given us (Gal 5:22-23).

When Your Soul Limping Along

Are you tired? Over scheduled this week? Do you have broken relationships that don’t seem fixable? Disappointed because life has not met your expectations? Me too! Maybe your burdens are even greater?

Here are my little foxes: I forget that this life is just a whisper in the light of eternity. I forget that God’s on top of things—He’s got this. I forget the big battles are already won—Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:54-55-57, ESV).

Instead of dwelling on the little foxes, let’s look to Him: We can rejoice this week, knowing that He brings life out of death! We can rejoice this week knowing that He came to rescue us for eternity! We can rejoice this week knowing He is working ALL things for our good and His glory! We can rejoice with Mary knowing that, in spite of all the mess swirling around us, God has chosen us to bring Christ to the world!

• This week and always, we can have “exceeding, great joy” like the Magi (Matt 2:10, ASV).
• Like the shepherds, we can glorify God for the coming of Jesus to the world and to our hearts (Luke 2:20).
• And we can praise the Lord, encouraging others, like the angels did (Luke 2:13-14).

Think of it: everyone who saw that the Son of God had come into the world, in person, to save His people, was overwhelmed with JOY.

We find joy by seeing Him. He’s still here. He’s still saving His people.

If you can’t see the good in life, if you can’t see the joy in your circumstances, if your soul is limping along, remember: this is the way it is supposed to be. These earthly reminders of suffering, sickness, sin and even death, show Jesus at His best.

Jesus came to give us peace with God, the eternal solution to every problem. He can, and will, perfectly accomplish His purpose in your life. He is the reason we can have hope, peace, and joy in spite of any and every thing.