CHOOSE Joy – from Our Father, the Joy Giver

Prayer: Whether it’s a sad movie, or my best friend just moved away, or I am suddenly an orphan because my last parent died, You fill my emptiness and prove to me that in my sorrow, You are my Joy-giver.

I thank you for the gift of gratitude that enables us to live joyfully and peacefully though struggles continue. Help me to remember to focus on Your faithfulness in the past, my Father, so that my joy may be full as I look to You, rather than at my problems.

Joy is a noun 

I have to confess that I have been struggling these last few months since I closed my coaching business. I know it was the right thing to do, but I feel a bit like a fish out of water. And, as a result of that, it has taken me what feels like forever to get this post written on Joy. There have been set-backs. I KNOW that the joy of the Lord is my strength, but one health issue after another has drained me of physical strength and I have therefore been weary and a bit dull-brained. It’s been hard to concentrate. So, here I am…FINALLY…my strength is returning and I have the energy to write about joy. To God be the Glory!

Perspective

When we take our eyes off of Jesus and focus on the news or some work or relationship problem, fear can rob us of joy. And these days, there’s a lot that we could be fearful about. But KLU GIB. He promises that He will never ever let you/me down. He promises that He will never leave His “children”. We can trust that!

Even though…

“Our Perspective changes massively when we are not consumed by fear.”
(Encounter with God devotional)

We remember we are never alone …

“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

Joy is a choice

God has been reminding me that joy is actually a reflection of one of Jesus’ Names: Immanuel (God WITH us). When we are walking in step with our LORD, there is an inner connection that reflects Him to the world, like a mirror does.

What we focus on, we become!

When we focus on the deep love that the LORD has for us and all that He has done to make it possible for us to be with Him forever, there is a reflection of that love FROM Him, THROUGH us, TO others.

God freely gives us that joy. We just have to choose to receive it and to believe Him and let it flow through us.

“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 (NIV)

Joy is a command

“Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  (I have this verse on my way across from where I spend time with Jesus in the mornings.)

Antonyms of joy

I did a word search and found that some antonyms of joy include misery, agony, anguish, cheerlessness, doldrums. Life is hard and it can seem natural to allow those attitudes to take over our personality. But in wisdom, we walk in Truth. And seek God’s help to allow His joy in us to transform us during those tough times.

Life is hard, but God is good.

That is not a statement to rush by unheeded. It is TRUTH. God IS good! ALL the time! Even when life is hard.

He takes away my sins

I’ve often shared how much I was affected by the joy of the man who was my pastor when I turned my life over to the Lord. In one of his sermons, he reminded us that “If all I had was my salvation, it should be enough.” We get our eyes off Jesus and we want MORE. When we look away from Him, we become UNjoyful. We grumble.

Related Post: My Generous Father

And yet, isn’t that the Truth! The Lord IS enough! The Lord IS our strength, He IS our salvation. He HAS done excellent things. He gave His ALL in order for us to spend eternity with Him. There is nothing better or greater anyone can do for us. He deserves our worship, our love, our praise, gratitude and our surrender to walk in the reflection of His joy. No matter what! God is in the business of showering us with an abundance of joy (if we let Him) that calms fears and wipes away tears.

God is Our Joy Giver – and Nothing else matters

An Anchor devotional taught me “When you know that Jesus changes everything, you see that there is no area of our lives where Christ does not make something beautiful, even from ashes. While the world searches to make sense of suffering, apart from Christ, we have no hope.

The better way: CHOOSE Joy

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2-5

“You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” – Psalm 30:11

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” –Psalm 100:2

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. — Habakkuk 3:18

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. — Romans 12:12

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”– Nehemiah 8:10

Who or what are you looking to as your “joy giver”?