Few college football programs can match the resume the Clemson Tigers have put together over the past dozen seasons under head coach, Dabo Swinney. From 2011 to 2022, Clemson won at least ten games each season. The Tigers also added eight conference championships and two national titles during that time, which is an unprecedented run of success for the program. Things have proven to be a little bit more challenging for Swinney and the Tigers this season, however. Greatly attributed to turnover struggles on offense, Clemson currently sits with a record of 4-4, despite starting the year ranked No. 9 in the preseason AP poll. While it seems that most Tigers fans have a sober view of the team’s current struggles, given the excellent track record over the past decade, a few impassioned Clemson fans have been vocal about their displeasure with Swinney’s coaching. During his weekly radio show on Monday, Swinney had some rather stern words for a caller who seemed to insinuate that the coach’s pride and incompetency have played a major role in the 2023 letdown. At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Swinney was further questioned about the recent criticism and emphatically made this comment: “I'm not going to let anything steal my joy of what I do. It doesn't mean I'm happy, but I've got a lot of joy in what I do. I'm not going to let winning become a relief. I'm not going to allow that to happen.” As difficult as the season has been for Swinney, I appreciate his acknowledgment that the circumstances he's facing won't take away the joy he finds in coaching football. For followers of Jesus, joy is something that God has promised to all people who trust in Him and walk by His Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Yet sadly, for many of us, our joy is “stolen” when we wrongly decide to focus our attention more on our circumstances than on rejoicing in the truth of having eternal life because of Jesus and salvation through Him. In his first epistle, the Apostle Peter begins his letter by giving profound insight into the blessings that all believers have in Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV) says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Pause for a moment to think about the unbelievable blessings that Peter mentions in those verses alone! To recap:
God has shown us great mercy.
God has caused us to be born again.
God has given us a living hope.
God has blessed us with an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
God is the One who is guarding our salvation through His awesome power.
These are incredibly powerful truths that Peter goes out of his way to highlight and magnify for the recipients of his letter.
Interestingly enough, Peter was thorough in highlighting the blessings that believers have in Christ because the recipients of his letter were facing very difficult circumstances.
But instead of having them focus on their difficulties and sufferings, Peter wanted them to experience joy by keeping their minds focused on all they possessed in their relationship with Christ and the blessed hope awaiting them in eternity.
He further explains in verses 6-9, “In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
All of us face the temptation to get down and let our joy be “stolen” as we face trials and difficulties here on earth. But we must remember that joy is not simply a “mystical feeling” that comes simply because we want it to.
Rather, we experience true joy when we intentionally meditate on the glorious reality of the salvation we've been given in Christ and the immeasurable inheritance that awaits us in glory.
After all, the fullest expression of joy is something we won't experience until after we've moved on from this life to dwell in the presence of our great God.
Psalm 16:11 (NIV) tells us, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”
So today, let’s meditate on what awaits us in heaven. Instead of letting circumstances dictate our emotions, let's find joy in the unchangeable and unshakable salvation we've received in Christ.
I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the salvation You've given me and the inheritance awaiting me in eternity. I know I'm not deserving of the many blessings I've received. Please help me find joy in You and not focus on the circumstances of life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR PACKS:
1. What circumstances present you with the biggest challenge of maintaining your joy?
2. How can you focus more intentionally on what awaits you in heaven so you don't get consumed by temporary circumstances?
Comments