“Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!” (Romans 15:13 TPT)
Susan is one of the happiest people I know. Her life circumstances are not easy. She has a debilitating autoimmune disease. She has a stressful job. And as a parent of four children, she has more than her share of trials and suffering.
Obviously, the source of Susan’s happiness is not her external circumstances. God is her fountain of hope. He fills her to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as she trusts in him. The power of the Holy Spirit continually surrounds her life with His super-abundance until she radiates with hope. Her life is ensconced in Jesus. She is so immersed in the presence of God that nothing seems to rob her joy.
Susan’s joy bubbles up and overflows onto anyone who speaks to her. For this reason, I am eager to communicate with her any chance I get. She doesn’t spout positive affirmations or unrealistic platitudes. Instead, she constantly points to the suffering of Jesus as an example to follow. She encourages others to accept God’s love and to trust His will. From anyone else, this kind of message would be depressing, but Susan’s authentic joy is contagious. After a conversation with her, I come away filled with hope and peace.
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