A Joy Thief

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (NASB) I had started my vehicle on a cold morning before church. I ran in the house for not even a minute, came outside, and stood there in disbelief . . . my vehicle had been stolen! I had my passport and birth certificate in the vehicle. So, they not only stole my car, they stole my identity as well! It all happened so fast. It reminds me of our enemy, Satan. He is waiting at every turn to come in and violate our sense of joy and strip away our peace. He doesn’t respect boundaries, doesn’t ask if he’s allowed to take something — he simply does it without consent. Before we know it, our identity and sense of well-being is robbed. This could cause our trust in God to falter. So how do we maintain joy even through the harshest circumstances? Paul and Silas sang praises and prayed while they were in prison chains (Acts 16:25). In following their story, we see that God was still God, even in their time of crisis. Sometimes we can forget that. It’s easy to focus on the present difficulties, then feel abandoned by the One who is actually holding us. Let’s continually be on guard against the enemy who is the real “joy thief.” We can choose to turn our thoughts towards Jesus, who will steady us along our journey. (Over time, my car was found, but was damaged. None of the contents were recovered.) If we maintain the right focus, we won’t be caught off guard when life doesn’t go the way we plan. We will “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16-18, NIV). Heavenly Father, please guard and secure my heart, so that my joy can never be stolen. In Jesus’ name, Amen. — Corrie Hill   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org