The Secret

I absolutely love secrets, the good kind. The secrets of surprise birthday parties, or the secrets of a pregnancy, the secret of someone about to propose. I love the excitement, the build-up to the happiness that I know is about to occur. Although I love these kind of secrets, I suck at keeping them. If you want to know what I got you for your birthday or for Christmas...just ask me I will tell you. You can ask anyone in my family, I get so excited that I just have to share right now or if I don't say anything it is written all over my face that I need to tell you something that is going to make you so happy! The excitement is just too much for me and I think you need to know the secret now. Well, I have a secret. Yep! I have found the secret to being content with whatever I have....well, actually Paul found it and shared it.  I know right? That is a pretty big secret...that is the secret we would all like to know...the secret not be driven by the things of this world or not having our emotions depend on our circumstances. Wouldn't you like that...I know I would. I would love to have self-control when I go into a store and see some boots and not feel like I have to have them righ now and if I don't get them I just won't fit in to the world. I would love to go through a day and no matter what happens in the day whether my work day has been overwhelming or my kids are not obeying me, or my husband had a bad meeting with a parent, that I would still have joy. I would love to go through every circumstance, every up and down, and  handle it in such a way that people say "there is something different about her. I would love the secret to that life. Wouldn't you? Wouldn't you love to go to the fridge and seeing there is no food there and one more day until pay day and still have joy. Wouldn't you love to go to the fridge and it be completely stocked and be filled with so much joy because you know that that doesn't happen for everyone. Wouldn't you love to answer a phone call from your children's principle and no matter what they say on the other end you know that you can still have joy. Woulnd't you love to know that when you are waiting for that phone call from your Doctor to tell you if you have cancer or not, that whatever news you get, you are filled with joy and peace. This secret is worth more than gold...it's the key to all joy in this world...holy crap I am getting so excited to tell you. I am excited to tell you because I visit with people everyday who walk around completely defeated. Their job sucks...therefore they have no joy. Their marriage sucks...therefore they have no joy. Their relationship with their family sucks....therefore they have no joy. The circumstances of this broken world has just completetly overwhelmed them and they walk around completely defeated. But I know the secret....the secret to change all that....the secret to joy in any circumstance....the secret to peace that passes all understanding. Are you ready...are you sure....it's a big secret....here it goes....

Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-13: "...For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

Did you catch it? Did you catch the secret? It is easy to miss it
J
The Secret is....JESUS!!!

For some of you this might be a let down...you might be thinking "Well of course it is Jesus....I have been a Christian my whole life....that is the sunday school answer...Yes, I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was 9 and still feel down, alone, and defeated...isn't there another answer to this riddle of finding joy in our life"
NOPE! That is the secret...as a follower of Christ you hold the very key, they key to all the power in the world with one relationship, with one name, with one person: Jesus.

It's kinda like in the movie Kung Fu Panda....the key to defeating the enemy of the world was in the dragon scroll and only the dragon warrior could read the dragon scroll. Once, the unlikely dragon warrior, PO the Panda opened the dragon scroll to find the secret...it was blank. After feeling defeated, he finally figured it out, the secret to defeating the enemy lied in him the whole time. 

I think it is time followers of Jesus, Christians, start understanding the power that comes with having Jesus in their life. He is not just heaven insurance...he is the secret to living this life with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. You can do ALL things through Jesus who gives you strength! When bad things happen you CAN find joy because you know that Jesus works all things to the good (Romans 8:28)...even the bad. When you are struggling with your work, children, or spouse, you CAN find joy because you know that if we do not give up we WILL reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up (Galatians 6:9) There is power in Jesus to save your marriage, there is power in Jesus to mend a broken relationship, there is Power in Jesus to have a winning season, there is Power in Jesus to overcome an addiction, there is Power in Jesus to overcome the hurts and pain of this world. You see, Jesus isn't just our Savior from Hell, but our Source of joy and peace in all circumstances on earth!

There is a reason Jesus said to pray this in the Lord's Prayer, "...Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...." We can have on earth what we will have in heaven....That is the secret! We CAN do ALL things THROUGH JESUS because He gives us the strength.