Of Joy Abundant...

To My Most Amiable Readers;

My heart is enjoying His peace. When these sweet times come it's so nice to dwell in their rich, warm embrace; His very Presence reaching down, enfolding us, giving us a foretaste of Heaven. This is what we are here for, to enjoy, and be enjoyed by, God. This is Heavenly consolation.

What brings it; how can one summon it? Why does it leave?

I let the day's events run through my mind and found that nothing extraordinary occured. I did laundry, taught Sophia and read to her, changed Edison's diapers and fed him, checked e-mail, cooked, read in Luke. But, gradually it stole upon me; an infusion of joy. Edison has a fever so I held him until he fell asleep, his hot little head tucked under my chin, listening to his soft snore...my heart full, brimming over, thinking how wonderful a task it is that God gave us to look after our dear children when they are ill; how much of ourselves He gives us to pour out in compassion on our wee ones. These feelings, these thoughts alerted me; God is giving His consolation to me...

I laid Edison down and went to fold a basket of laundry. Our bed was now full of stacks of clean, dry clothes, neatly folded. The Spirit was in me because instead of thinking, "oh boy, now I've got to put all these clothes away..", it was "Wow! Thank you God, look at all the nice, warm clothes you've blessed us with! Lord, how many people must have sat in some factory sewing them up, may You bless each laborer!"

In moments like these we are quite capable of joyfully giving away everything we have to the poor, quite fearless to share what God has done for us with everyone we meet; we are full to the brim with the joy and fellowship of our Lord! Now, why does it go away...

It's a gift, given by Him when, in His perfect judgement, we are in need of it, or perhaps simply when it pleases Him to bless us especially. The in-between times of life can vascillitate between happiness, contentment, frustration; the full array of our human emotions, but the lack of Heavenly consolation is most noted by a presence of spiritual "dryness". Our prayers feel feeble, God seems distant, doubts about His reality hound us. Our perceived "need" in that moment is for God to do some trick; send an angel with a message, something to "prove" He's there.

I've been reading, "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis, and in its pages I've found the heart-cheering news that God gives the times of dryness too. In them we grow; in them we find our desperate need of Him, in them we have an opportunity to bless God with our devotion despite our "not feeling like it". An offering that costs.

"Even when You expose me to various temptations and hardships, You order these entirely for my own good, for it is Your way to test Your chosen servants by many trials. During trials of this kind my love and praise is Your due no less than when You fill my soul with heavenly comfort." -Thomas A Kempis

Your Devoted,
Sarah