We are so excited about our new family conference venue at Olivet Nazarene University, and the theme represents that excitement: Joy in the Steadfast Journey. Joy should not just be the theme of a conference; it should be the theme of our lives since the precious blood of Jesus Christ has atoned for our sins.
In order to prepare our hearts and minds for the conference, I have chosen to use joy as the character trait for the month of May. Some of the thoughts I will be sharing in my articles and Take Fives are teasers taken from my keynote, which will close out the family conference on Saturday evening. We want to leave you thinking about one thing: JOY!
The Bible is very explicit when it comes to a Christian’s interaction with joy:
- Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.—Phil 4:4
- Rejoice always,—1 Thes. 5:16
Joy is not an option in the Christian journey as the Bible says we are to rejoice ALWAYS. The reason we are always to be joyful is because our bench mark for life is not based on our circumstances, our individual performance, or the performance of our children; instead, it is based on the person of Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished on our behalf.
When we lack joy, we are basically saying one of two things: 1) either God is not great—unable to perform His will in our lives or 2) He is not good—unwilling to perform good in our lives. These are serious charges against the Son of God who died on the cross to demonstrate His love for us and was resurrected three days later, demonstrating His power over our greatest enemy … death.
Because the Lord is great, everything that comes our way in the homeschool journey is ordained by His providence. Because He is good, we know that He uses situations, disappointments, and even our sinfulness to conform us into His image. Without this understanding, Romans 8:28 is impossible.
The best way to consistently demonstrate joyfulness is not a matter of doing more but of resting in Him. We have to continually remind ourselves what it means to be “in Christ.” When we try and fall short, we are still “in Christ.” When adverse situations—completely outside of our power—arise, we are still “in Christ.” When we are embarrassed because our children don’t fit inside someone’s box, we are still “in Christ.” We must stop living by our feelings and live by the fact of who we are “in Christ.” Only then will we know true joy.
The most wonderful—and dreadful—thing about homeschooling is that our best teaching tool is our example, which our children observe 24/7. In always demonstrating joy in the steadfast journey of homeschooling, we are teaching them one of the most powerful lessons in life, and this is not found in a textbook but in a relationship with Jesus Christ. That is true joy.
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