For the JOY

I've just got to share this moment with you!
I sat down yesterday to spend time reading my Advent verses, and God did it again.
HE spoke to my heart.
The assigned reading was Hebrews 12:1-2, and it was the second verse which grabbed me.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I thought, If I fix my eyes on Jesus, what will I see?
And I was drawn to joy.
In my mind's eye I saw my Savior enduring the pain and shame of the cross because of joy.
The joy of redeeming mankind - you and me!
The joy of completing the work God sent Him here to do.
The joy of returning to heaven and sitting down by His Father, because the work was done.
The joy of fully portraying His unfailing love and unending grace for us.
Oh, the joy! The pain was overwhelming, to be sure. But for the joy - He endured it.
Because of what He knew was coming, He was able to go through what He went through.
And then He invited me to join in. To recognize there is joy for me, too, (For all of us!) on the other side of pain. On the other side of hardship, or distress, or fear. He beckoned me to trust Him in the process, and to endure for the joy set before me.
Then I wondered, OK. But just what do you mean by endure???
And this is where it gets really good!
I checked out the definintion of "endure" and saw that it means, "literally, remaining under (the load), bearing up (enduring)" and I thought, Yeah. I figured as much. To endure means to, well, endure! To remain under a certain load or burdern. And at that point I was not particularly impressed.
But then I read, "for the believer, this uniquely happens by God's power" and suddenly my heart started doing flips!
I mean, do you see what I saw???
As God calls us to focus on the joy which will come as a result of our faithfulness to go through what we have to go through, He doesn't ask us to endure alone.
HE will give us the power - HIS power - to remain under the load we're carrying.
HE will help us.
We are not alone!
I don't know about you, but the JOY in that thought is enough to carry me.
God is good. He has a good purpose for our circumstance.
AND He will give is the strength - HIS strength - to endure.
Friend, whatever you may be facing today, I pray God will give you the grace and faith to trust the process, as you believe in HIS power and presence to carry you through to the JOY.