John 14:27
“Peace, I leave with you; the peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give
to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Light means joy. Training to be joyful without relying on particular means requires a process—especially for those who already possess many things. The important thing is to have things without being attached to them. That is not easy. Remember that the devil cannot be “enjoyed” without facilities. If someone can enjoy the devil, that person has deviated. Conversely, God can be enjoyed, and if we can enjoy God even without any facilities, then we truly possess peace.
The devil cannot be enjoyed without means. He always ties himself to facilities or material things. Therefore, someone who strongly desires and excessively enjoys possessions is actually making those things an idol. If our joy depends only on means or material things, our hearts are bound to the world. That can become a form of spiritual adultery.
One who has joy because of God will radiate that light to those around him. One not attached to the world will be generous toward others, because he does not hang the state of his soul on things or possessions. He is willing to share himself. Others will see that our joy does not come from things but from God. People may even ask how someone can have such joy. And without many words, we can show that we possess a wealth that cannot be replaced by anything or anyone—namely, God.
Paul could say, “Rejoice!” and then repeat, “Again I say, rejoice!” even while he was in prison. Humanly speaking, one in prison should not be able to rejoice. Yet Paul could rejoice. This is what we must train for. Do not hang your joy on material things, but on God. When God says, “You are the light of the world,” it means we must radiate the joy that comes from God and share it with others.
Often God allows someone to experience extreme conditions, and through those conditions, He brings that person to a spiritual level where he can make God his sole source of joy. The world around us is corrupted and has shaped human lifestyles accordingly. Especially in the Old Testament times, a person’s joy was often measured by the fulfillment of physical needs. Life then easily led people to very worldly thinking.
In his testimony, the psalmist says, “By Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.” Certainly, the glory meant is not the worldly glory often seen in the wicked. For in the next line he says, “Who else is there in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” We must reach such a life principle. Only with that principle can we fulfill God’s word that says, “Whether I eat or drink or whatever I do, do all to the glory of God.”
The danger is that when someone lives in comfort—good economy, healthy body, no hardships, and everything goes smoothly—those very conditions can make him forget God, so he loses God’s formative process. We should not wait until God brings us into extreme conditions before we turn our hearts to Him. Even in prosperity, fertility, and comfort, we should already be sincerely directing our hearts to heaven. If we truly desire it, God will surely guide us.