Share the joy

Every Sunday in my congregation, we have a segment called “Share the Joy.” People are given the opportunity to tell something of how God has been present in their lives. Sometimes it’s sharing an answered prayer, sometimes it’s giving thanks for some particular blessing, sometimes it’s sharing one of those “coincidences” that are so unique, you know it can only be God.

Some Sundays, there are many people who share, sometimes (more and more rarely) there is no one. I’m always a little sad on those Sundays and wonder if collectively we just haven’t been paying enough attention to the God moments of the past week. St. Ignatius Loyola spoke of “finding God in all things.” I encourage people to share things that may seem small as well as those things that are truly remarkable.

In sharing, the whole community is blessed and encouraged. As we hear the God stories, we are invited to celebrate God, who continues to work in the lives of God’s people. And, in a culture where witness feels a little scary, it is good practice for sharing with others the ways in which God’s goodness has become apparent to us.

Lord, show me how I might share the joy of your wonderful works with the people around me. Amen. — CN

Contributed by Share the joy

Every Sunday in my congregation, we have a segment called "Share the Joy." People are given the opportunity to tell something of how God has been present in their lives. Sometimes it's sharing an answered prayer, sometimes it's giving thanks for some particular blessing, sometimes it's sharing one of those "coincidences" that are so unique, you know it can only be God. Some Sundays, there are many people who share, sometimes (more and more rarely) there is no one. I'm always a little sad on those Sundays and wonder if collectively we just haven't been paying enough attention to the God moments of the past week. St. Ignatius Loyola spoke of "finding God in all things." I encourage people to share things that may seem small as well as those things that are truly remarkable. In sharing, the whole community is blessed and encouraged. As we hear the God stories, we are invited to celebrate God, who continues to work in the lives of God's people. And, in a culture where witness feels a little scary, it is good practice for sharing with others the ways in which God's goodness has become apparent to us.
Eternity for Today