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Rejoicing In Trials (Journey Week)

Nate Muyskens • July 15, 2024

"Rejoice in the Lord Always! I will say it again: Rejoice!"

“Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!” These are the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4, and they echo throughout the Christian life. In the book of Philippians, Paul is reaching out to the church of Philippi, encouraging them in their faith and assuring them that he is in good spirits, despite being persecuted for his faith.

The words of Paul remain relevant to believers today, especially in times of trial. The staff of Inspiration Hills are not strangers to trials: every year, the staff is confronted with the wages of a world that’s been scarred by sin; it’s the very darkness that we hope to cut through by proclaiming the Gospel. While every event we host can involve some level of baggage, perhaps no event carries more than Journey Week.

Journey Week is a week over the Summer Camp that is dedicated to hosting 4^th-9^th grade campers from underprivileged or at-risk situations. The campers who come to Journey often have firsthand knowledge of how depraved the world can be, and the ongoing trauma from their experiences can hang over them as they arrive at camp. Some of these campers find themselves longing for the attention that may have been withheld from them by the most important people in their lives. Just like any kids, they may struggle to participate in things they don’t find cool or fun, but to some of them, fun things serve as a brief but important distraction from a harsh reality.

Despite the challenges, the staff of Inspiration Hills always persists. The mission of providing an environment for campers to know and grow in Christ does not change nor waver. We look back to Philippians 4 for guidance in such situations. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Paul assures us that we are given a powerful ally in our mission to leave a lasting positive impact on our campers, that our prayers are listened to, and that we know that the Lord guards our footsteps. Paul later encourages his readers that he has been able to live well in plenty and poverty, in good times and bad because Christ in his provision has strengthened him (Philippians 4:11-13).

Finally, Paul instructs the people of Philippi, and all believers, to focus on what is beautiful and pure, and to continue adhering to his teachings (Philippians 4:8-9). Journey camp can be filled with struggles, but it can also be filled with joy. I can attest to this as a former summer staffer: campers who would argue with each other learned how to work together through team building activities. Middle-school-aged boys who thought they were too cool for cheesy worship songs would be dancing in step with the rest of the camp. Campers who knew only how to meet conflict with their fists learned how to use their words appropriately, and kids who screamed of their hatred of camp would finish the week hugging their counselors, not wanting to leave. Campers who believed that they had no value left knowing that they were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26a), so loved by him that he sent his Son among them to die and be resurrected, thereby allowing them to be reconciled with God (Romans 5:8-11). How the Spirit plants seeds in the hearts of an individual camper is not known to me, but his presence is certainly noted. Journey Camp may be full of trials, but often out of those trials come things that are beautiful and pure.

So, we rejoice in the Lord, just as Paul instructed us to do in Philippians. We rejoice in being presented with challenges, hardships, and struggles because we know they will be overcome. We rejoice that Christ’s strength enables us to proclaim and live by his name, regardless of what difficulties oppose us. And we rejoice in seeing how the Spirit moves in the lives of those who step through doors of our Lodge every summer.