Jerry Maguire... you do NOT complete me

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." -James 1:2-4

Hearing these words makes it a little easier to go through trials... for I know that if it is what needs to be done so that I am "complete", bring on the rain. I am ready. My desire right now is to be complete in Him, not to depend on anything or anyone else to complete me. It has been a hard struggle, but I have come to realize that He truly is the only thing that can bring completeness. If I depend on man to complete me, then I will only be let down, it will only end in tears, for man is NOT sufficient. But praise the Lord that my Father is. He is the only one that will not let me down... ever. He is the only one that will ever fully satisfy. He is the only one that will not leave me feeling down... because HE completes me.

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee...

"Our joy should be so secure in Christ that no pain can shake it, and no pleasure can compete with it." -John Piper

This quote became real to me for the first time in my life last weekend. I have never experienced the sheer joy of the Lord like I am right now... regardless of my circumstances. I am daily being restored. I am daily being renewed. I am daily experiencing Him in new ways; and there's no way that can't add joy to my life.

My joy in Him cannot be shaken. It cannot be taken away from me. Things of this world are strictly unable to weaken my joy in Him. To think that I am a new creation, that my stains are now clean, that I now can die and allow Jesus to live through me brings a smile upon my face. I am done attempting to find satisfaction in this world. I am done pretending that "people" have the power to bring contentment to my life. He is the only sufficient one... and I cling to that fact: He IS sufficient.