2 Chronicles 7:10
“Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy in heart because of the goodness that the LORD had shown to David, to Solomon, and to His people Israel.”
This is the result of faith in God. I wouldn’t have thought so. The faith I was raised in seemed grim. The heroes of it were very self sacrificing and joyless. Those that seemed the most holy seemed very humble.
When I came to faith in Christ, that is the path I went. The phrase that pushed me daily, even though it wouldn’t arrive for a couple of decades, was WWJD. It wasn’t positive but legalistic and works driven. If I had an opening in my day I would ask that question. I would do that or feel guilty.
It wasn’t until I heard the message of grace did things lighten up. God wasn’t driving me like that. I also heard the verse, “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver”, (2 Cor 9:7). My whole life was out of compulsion.
I began to learn that my guilty conscience didn’t come from God. I John 3:20, “Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.” All guilt isn’t from God. Most of it wasn’t. In my case, nearly none of it was.
My guilt wasn’t only from my early faith, but the evil one. I Timothy 3:6 says,”He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.” The evil one loved making me miserable with guilt. He was whispering to do this and that, if I was a true believer.
I began to realize that all those expectations weren’t from God. I came across Matt 1:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” Wow! That was a shift. I didn’t know this God. He wanted me at peace, at rest.
I also began to learn that God works through a different kind of motivation. Ezekial 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” We want to do different things. We have His heart. We want to do His will.
Galatians 5:22-24 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” If we ask Him He adopts us and fills us with the fruit of the Spirit. We become more patient, more kind. Our selfish nature tries to take over. The last part of these verses tells us what to do. “Crucify the flesh with its passions”. That keeps the fruit of the Spirit flowing.
This is the life in the Spirit that produce the reality of today’s verse, “rejoicing and happy in heart”. Thank You, Lord. You have shown us the way and You walk with us in it. That’s how You created us to be and do. It was Adam and Eve in the garden with You. It was a wonderful world until sin arrived. Then it got difficult. But You gave us the entire Old Testament to show us Your plan. Then Jesus arrived and fulfilled it by dying for us. Then the Spirit came and made it real. You wish to forgive us and fill us. Eden again. Thank You, Lord.