1.) One of the big lies that is often espoused about Christianity is that God wants to give us enough of what we want so that we're happy. "God spoke to me and told me that it was ok to have the BMW, not the minivan," is an example. Yet Paul tells us about the secret of happiness, saying, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:11-13)
God wants us to be happy, but through Him, not through things of this temporary world. In fact, when He states how He wants us to be happy, He says, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13) The joy and peace comes by believing in God, and of a better, eternal future, and causes us to have unfathomable hope.
If you're going through a setback, focus on the future, because it's brighter than any of us can imagine.
2.) Ever been depressed? Paul wrote about our God saying, "But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus." (2 Cor 7:6)
Often God sends us comfort in our distress in the form of a fellow Christian to buoy our spirits. Elli Poysti has been my Titus a few times, and it can be a real lifesaver. Part of being a Titus is having the willingness to listen to people's distress, and to reach out and give of your own time. In doing this, you truly,
"Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2)
3.) Ever had such a rotten string of events that you think, "OK, God, lower the boom and bring me on up, 'cause it's time to check out!" I certainly have, which has led me to think about the Holy Spirit. Jesus talked about, "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name," (John 14:26) and I was very joyful to see that "helper" can also be translated "comforter, advocate, and intercessor." So with that in mind, what about sadness?
1.) Sadness is often when our heart feels like just giving up, but God reminds us that renewal inwardly helps us to not lose heart. "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (2 Cor 4)
2.) This renewal happens through God's mercy and is accomplished by the Helper/Comforter, but is permanently knotted together with the forgiveness of sins. "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3)
3.) The gift of the Comforter is delivered in baptism. "Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2)
It is a huge encouragement to me that God says that He will not only cleanse me, but at the same time, He gives me a Comforter to renew me constantly. I will never be alone in the fight, and Spirit of God will always dwell within me, closer to my heart than anything else! Never give up! And if you haven't been baptized, go and accept that gift! Don't go solo! Don't fight it alone!
4.)
James 2 contains this super hardcore, gross, Christian passage that says, "Consider it PURE JOY when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Now I often have found myself thinking, "I don't wanna be mature that badly. I'm kinda happy being this oblivious, unrefined, dumb sheep." Yet God says that He's going to refine us as if with fire, like we're silver.
So here's how refining silver works: When a silversmith refined silver, he'd heat it up and boil it, until impurities rose to the surface, and then he'd scoop off those impurities. It would cool down, then he'd heat and repeat the process. The silversmith knew it was good when it was so clean that he could look down and see his own reflection in the silver.
Those trials, those times when life gets tough, that's the refining process, where instead of reacting like the world, we can learn to be like Christ. God wants to refine us, until He can look and see His reflection! That's a blessing!