Infectious joy

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We had a guest this weekend. He is my father-in-law's close family friend and he refers to him as a "spiritual brother". 

A lot of friends and relatives from my husband's side of the family are charismatic believers - some speak in tongues, prayers are said in a vocal, almost overflowing, faith filled way. My husband and I usually don't know how to react or respond to it, we just go with what is being said. It's not that we don't believe that such things can happen - but our faith does not express itself in the same way.

We had a prayer meeting in one of the church families' home. This uncle prayed, and a lot of people were moved and responded in a seemingly powerful way. When this was happening, I did not experience any overflowing of faith. But, I felt emotion and a feeling that I should be perhaps - saying or doing something more than just staring at my nails like a doofus.

"And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance". - Acts of the Apostles 2:2-4

Sometimes, speaking in tongues gets a bad rap. It is seen on TV, and it can seem like people are faking it - to appear more legitimate or powerful. 

Here, I'm reminded that worship, adoration, prayers and faith express itself in different ways for different people. What is more important is a remembrance that all good things flow through the creator and He knows a person's heart, whether they speak in tongues or not.

It is also possible that maybe we all are a little bit like atheists in our hearts. We permit ourselves to say or do things that seem normal. We have our doubts about many things and we hold ourselves back. 

What I noticed and was drawn to (more than anything else) was that this uncle radiated joy. Even a simple cup of tea would make his heart sing with gratitude. He would thank profusely. Every single thing was amazing to him. He is 76 years old, yet not jaded or bitter. He is an orphan who lost his parents at 3 years of age, and was brought up by his grandparents.

He lost his wife three months ago, but he was surprisingly open and vulnerable about his love for her. He would sing christian songs in a  deep, baritone voice - in the car, in his room, in the middle of conversations, in the middle of his sermons - not one or two, but fifteen or twenty songs in a day. It was like he wasn't even aware of his surroundings. He was in communion with the creator, and all that mattered to him was that relationship.

It was fascinating to me, because I saw what real joy looked like. It is so different from happiness. Happiness is a product of circumstances. Joy comes from the security of a deep relationship with God.

I don't know what I like about this uncle. I'm sure that he is not perfect. Perhaps, I won't remember him speaking in tongues or his sermons or prayers. But, I will remember his encouragement and his love. And, I will certainly remember his joy. His joy not in happy times, but right in the middle of suffering. 

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” - Psalm 28:7 

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