This free church bulletin article was written by Brian Humek from Irving, TX. You are free to use this in church bulletins, church emails and on church websites. No credit needs to be given. Simply clicking the book link at the end of this free bulletin article will help more content to be placed on this site. Donate your own church bulletin article here.
Bible Passage: I Thessalonians 5:16
The city of Venice is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Have you ever wondered how happy the people in Venice must be? They can never be depressed or unhappy can they? After all, they live in Venice. What problems could they ever have? We know of course, that just because Venice is one of the ultimate vacation destinations for many, the folks in Venice as well as anywhere else can and do have problems.
I was reading a picture book to my son a while back titled Little Toot on the Grand Canal, it was set in Venice, Italy. As I was reading it, I came to the following line, “No one can be unhappy in Venice.” After reading that line, my innocent little boy said nonchalantly, “I guess we can’t go to Venice.” His words made me think for a moment. It made me wonder what type of life Daddy and Mommy were showing him? There have been some very tough times in our life over this past year and we have neglected to let the joy we have down in our hearts to be seen at times. I guess my son notices things like this. What five-year old wouldn’t? If that picture book philosophy were true, that no one can be unhappy in Venice, could you go?
I Thessalonians 5:16 implores us to “be joyful always” because as it says, “this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I know I don’t exhibit the joy God wants us to show as often as I should. Privately, I may show joy a lot more often than I do in public. I don’t think this is what God had in mind. I look at my son and see the joy in his heart, the joy in his words, and the joy in his actions. He’s just happy to be around. I pray that God will protect that joy in him. I pray that no person or circumstance will ever take that heartfelt joy from my son. I want him to be the same joyful person as an adult that he is today.
I pray the same for you. I pray that no circumstance or individual will ever take away the true joy we have down in our hearts. Sometimes that joy is just hidden underneath layers and layers of muck. If your joy is stuck in the muck, may God bless you this week by allowing some of it to melt away.
—> Support our free church bulletin article ministry by purchasing the 5 Star rated Leave it to God on Amazon today.
Related posts:
My mouth fell open the day I heard a student in a Christian campus ministry pray, "Dear father God, we are terrible people." I thought that person was incorrect and then had to go to the Bib...
In a world where terrorist bombings, stabbings, shootings happen almost weekly, we need hope. In a world where we don't know whether or not we'll keep our job through the end of the month, we need hop...
If you’re like me, you forget things. At various times, I forget where my shoes, my wallet, my baseball cap and my car keys are. What kind of things do you forget?
The other day I saw a guy in Starbucks with his Bible open. I found out he was doing some devotional reading. He had opened to the book of Zephaniah. “Wow, that’s some heavy duty devotional reading,” ...
I think some Christians harbor a hidden desire to make it big on the Hollywood stage. There are some very fine actors gracing the pews of our churches. I am speaking of those who say they are just fin...
I can lecture you all day about the importance of staying spiritually active but I think you know that already. My plea is that you keep a record of your spiritual activity. Keep a prayer journal. Kee...
One of the most difficult Christian disciplines is self-control. Eating, anger, lust, television watching, shopping, drinking, and other types of addictive behaviors are curbed when a person possesses...
Work is hard sometimes, one may even say it is unbearable. We have a savior that can identify with us in so many ways. He was hungry. He was thirsty. He was angry. He was tempted. He had a pretty dema...
