Joy in the Journey

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 6:24-25 When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against You and when they turn back and confess Your name, praying and making supplication before You in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel and bring them back to the land You gave to them and their fathers.
             
Michael Card wrote a song many years ago about the journey from hopelessness to salvation. He sang about the journey, the hope, and the struggle. That journey is one we must all take in order to receive our place in eternity. Whether we are traversing the valley or climbing to the mountain top experiences or descending into the valley once more, God is with us. The Holy Spirit leads and comforts us. Jesus intercedes for us.
             
Learning to hold onto the joy in the midst of the journey sometimes feels like an exercise in futility but we have a model to copy. Jesus was able to hold onto the joy set before Him despite the suffering on the cross (Heb 12:2) so that He could pay the price for our sins. He counted the cost of setting aside His divinity to dwell with us. He lived through all we live through. He suffered rejection, betrayal and finally crucifixion. But He loved us enough to consider it all worth it.
             
There is a progression to the journey from sin to righteousness. While we may not follow the steps in order, we must repent and move on. One of the words that are frowned upon is ‘sin’. It is one that is rarely used in the pulpits. It is never used in polite society and rarely used on the radio. Until we can accept that we are all sinners and in need of forgiveness, we can’t even start on our journey. When we recognize Whose we are and what we were, we start on a journey of growing, healing and serving our risen Savior.
             
We have an enemy that will do anything to stop our journey. He will throw obstacles in our path to slow or derail our progress. Compromise, willfulness, and arrogance are some of his favorite tools of the trade. We decide we know better, have a better way or even refuse to listen to wiser minds. Others who have travelled our path know a better way if we are willing to set aside our will and listen to trusted advisors. Jesus has put others in our lives to help us along the way.  We can experience joy in our journey if we will invite Jesus along to be our guide.