Joy In The Middle Of The Journey

Today I want to talk to you about choosing joy because of who God is and what He has promised.

“Let me start by asking you a question —have you ever been in a season where it felt like life hit the pause button? You’re praying, you’re waiting, you’re doing everything right, but it feels like nothing’s moving forward? A season where you want to say… ‘God, did you forget about me?’”

Now Imagine God showing up in that very moment, not with a quick fix, not with answers, but with this command: ‘Sing. Shout. Rejoice.’ You’d be like, ‘Sing? Are You serious right now God? I don’t know if you noticed but I’m still in the middle of a mess!’ I’m still trying to keep my head above water, and you want me to rejoice? But that’s exactly what God tells Zephaniah to speak to the people.

Zephaniah was speaking these words from God to people who were in a mess. They had watched their nation fall apart, their future felt shaky & uncertain ... But God sent a message through Zephaniah and it’s a message that I think can still speak to us today. Let’s see what it says. (Read Zephaniah 3:14–20)

Here's what God is saying “Your Situation Isn’t Your Final Destination"

The Scripture says: “The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy.” (NIV)

The people of Israel were in a situation that was a lot like being stuck in traffic on a long road trip. Every red light, every stop sign, every delay makes you think, man I’m never going to get there. But then you see a sign up ahead, and praise God, it tells you that you are only ‘5 miles from your destination. All of the sudden, hope kicks in, you get a twinkle in your eye, and a smile on your face… You’re not there yet, oh, but you know it’s coming. Just 5 more miles and I’m there, just 5 more miles and I can get out of this car, just 5 more miles and everything is gonna be alright.

You see, God was telling His people, ‘The battle has already been won. The punishment you were so afraid of, It’s gone. The enemy who looked unstoppable? They’ve been Defeated.’… And here’s the thing: God is saying the same thing to you. He’s saying “You’re not stuck. He’s saying You’re not defeated…You’re on the way to victory, you’re gonna beat this, you’re gonna come out on the other side of this situation victorious because the enemy has already been defeated.”

Sing your song… What’s holding you back? Is it shame over something in your past. Is it the fear of what’s next. Hear me when I say this: It doesn’t matter what it is that’s holding you back … God has already turned your story around, God’s already written the final chapter, your story has already been completed at the cross. You can rejoice now because your situation isn’t your final destination.

I gotta tell you this “Joy Isn’t Just About What You Feel—It’s about Who You’re With”

Verse 17 says “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.”

It's like a little kid in a thunderstorm? They’re terrified. But when a parent scoops them up and holds them close, they calm down. The storm doesn’t stop, but the fear does, the lightning flashes and the thunder rolls but the fear is gone … because they know they’re safe with someone they trust.

Zephaniah says, ‘"The Lord your God is with you." That’s the source of your joy—Our joy doesn’t come because of the absence of problems … Our joy is because of the presence of a Savior… The devil can’t steal my Joy because my Joy doesn’t depend on my circumstances, my Joy comes from the Alpha & Omega, The one who is, who was and is to come … God isn’t watching us from a distance. He’s in the middle of the storm with you, He's fighting for you.”

Sometimes you gotta stop pushing God away and invite Him into your storm? You gotta stop focusing on how big the problem is and start focusing on how close God is. The storm may keep raging, the wind may continue to howl, and the rain may still be falling, but your peace can be found in His presence, the one that stills the waters, the one that calms the seas… The one that gave us the VICTORY…

One more thing God wants you to know. “Your Future Is Better Than Your Past”

The scripture goes on to say “At that time I will gather you... I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth.”

Sometimes movie trailers show the best parts of the ending—the hero wins, the villain is defeated, the love story is fulfilled. You may already know how it’s going to end, but that’s what gives you the confidence to keep watching the story unfold.