Most loving Lord, true joy can only emanate from a close relationship with You and Your love. Joy is an emotion expressing excitement brought about through experiencing or expecting good coming into my life. I show it through rejoicing, gladness, and delight. It does not just happen, it’s the result of something important occurring due to You doing or my responding to our love for each other. Joy is the result of an action that causes a joyful response. It could be: Experiencing the birth of a child and recognizing that the power to reproduce has been given to me … submitting my life to You … realizing the miraculous nature of Your resurrection … waking up in the morning and knowing You will be with me all day … overcoming a sin that has dominated my life … walking by faith and seeing it fulfilled. When I do Your will, I find it easier to experience joy and be thankful.
When things are going well, I feel happy and content. On the other hand, when hard times come, I feel despondent. But true joy transcends these up and down feelings brought on by my circumstances. True joy can only come from an intimate relationship with You. It may come from just realizing who You are or the awesomeness of Your power (like in the creation of the world) or how You’ve acted in benefiting my life. Joy comes from my life being intertwined with Yours and obtaining Your helping me realize how blessed I am or Your helping me through adversity. The joy of living for You helps me maintain my balance no matter how good or how bad my circumstances might become. A special source of joy comes through a direct, personal relationship with You and not having to go through a priest, like in Old Testament times. Your desire is for me to experience a full and complete life in You.
Recognizing Your ability to restore life is a way of experiencing joy. Forest burnt down rebuilds itself. A broken bone heals itself. The loss of a loved one, by the shedding of tears, brings good out of bad. Seeing the removal of burdens from another’s life gives new hope going forward. Accepting Christ as my Savior gives me newness of life. Becoming a citizen in Your Kingdom brings with it the benefits of righteousness, peace, and joy because in serving You the Holy Spirit fills my life with good things. I believe that peace and joy will become a part of my life as I learn to trust You and walk by faith. I am filled with joy each time I take a stand, in faith, for something You stand for. Your truth provides the path for me to follow and Your light provides a clear vision on how to follow it which, in turn, becomes a source of my joy. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances because this is God’s will for You in Christ Jesus.