Playing with Joy / 喜乐地全力以赴

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Dexu Xia

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Jun 30, 2019, 1:20:59 AM6/30/19

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Playing with Joy

The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy. Galatians 5:22

One of our sons, Brian, is a high school basketball coach. One year, as his team was dribbling its way through the Washington State Basketball Tournament, well-meaning folks around town asked, “Are you going to win it all this year?” Both players and coaches felt the pressure, so Brian adopted a motto: “Play with joy!”

I thought of the apostle Paul’s last words to the elders of Ephesus: “That I may finish my race with joy” (Acts 20:24 nkjv). His aim was to complete the tasks Jesus had given him. I have made these words my motto and my prayer: “May I run and finish my race with joy.” Or as Brian says, “May I play with joy!” And by the way, Brian’s team did win the state championship that year.

We all have good reasons to get grouchy: discouraging news, everyday stresses, health problems. Nevertheless, God can give us a joy that transcends these conditions if we ask Him. We can have what Jesus called, “my joy” (John 15:11).

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of Jesus (Galatians 5:22). So we must remember each morning to ask Him to help us: “May I play with joy!” Author Richard Foster said, “To pray is to change. This is a great grace. How good of God to provide a path whereby our lives can be taken over by . . . joy.”

Reflect & Pray

What causes you to be discouraged? Where do you find your joy?

I turn my eyes to You, God. I’m grateful I can count on Your faithfulness to me. Please bring me into Your joy.

喜乐地全力以赴

圣灵所结的果子，就是……喜乐。-加拉太书5章22节

我儿子沐恩在一所高中担任篮球教练，有一年，他所指导的球队顺利晋级到华盛顿州际锦标赛。有人求好心切地问说：“今年有把握赢得胜利吗？”球员和教练听了都很有压力，所以沐恩就鼓励大家说：“让我们喜乐地全力以赴！”

这令我想起，使徒保罗最后对以弗所教会的长老们说：“只要行完我的路程”（使徒行传20章24节），表明他就是要完成耶稣交给他的使命。现在，“行完我的路程”也成为我的祷告和座右铭，期许自己能像沐恩说的那样：“喜乐地全力以赴！”顺带一提，沐恩的球队那年果真赢得锦标赛的冠军。

我们每天都有很多抱怨的理由，不论是坏消息、生活压力或是健康问题，都会让我们不开心。但我们若恳求上帝，祂能赐下喜乐引领我们超越这些环境，我们能得着耶稣所说的“我的喜乐”（约翰福音15章11节）。

喜乐是圣灵所结的果子（加拉太书5章22节），因此务必谨记，每天早上都要恳求祂帮助我们：“让我能喜乐地全力以赴！”灵修作家傅士德（Richard Foster）曾说：“祷告能带来改变，这是何等的恩典！上帝是何等美善，为我们预备一条路，让我们的生命充满了……喜乐。”

亲爱的上帝，我要定睛仰望祢。
谢谢祢，让我能倚靠祢的信实。
求祢让我得着祢的喜乐。