3 important things to remember about Joy
In the past I used to be a motivational and self help books junkie, whenever I was at a low, I’d find the answer’ in a motivational book or a blogpost. I’d feel better for like "2 minutes", then go back into a funk. The cycle continued until I faced the most challenging time of my entire life this time last year and no self help book, no motivational book could keep my spirits up.
The only thing that kept me going was the reality of what I have in Christ. In those trying times, his promises were enough. It was tough but 2017 turned out to be my strongest, most joyful, and hopeful year.
It was in this time I learned the true meaning of joy. I was broken but I remained joyful and my life is better for it.
Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. Luke 9:24 MSG
Joy doesn’t depend on happiness.
You can be joyful about eternal things even when temporal things make you unhappy. Okay let me break that down. So I was studying the book of Hebrews recently and I got to Hebrews 10:24
Paul was reminding the people about how they were joyful when they first received salvation and he stated different unpleasant things that happened but did not shake their faith because they didn’t lose sight of where they were headed.
You suffered along with those who were thrown in jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew that there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. (NLT)
So even when they were suffering which will definitely make them unhappy, they stayed joyful because of the hope that was in them. And they didn't stay joyful while hanging their head low, no they rejoiced with a lot of shouting, they had to set their affections. (we'll talk about how to do that in another post)
Let’s looks at the life of Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 describes this perfectly!
Let us keep looking at Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also made it perfect. He paid no attention to the shame on the cross. He suffered there because of the joy he was looking forward to!
He knew death was coming all along but he didn't spend his thirty something years hanging his head low, he went around fulfilling purpose joyfully.
Joy is not in things but in YOU.
Are you holding on to Jesus because of what he can do for you? Well if you are, I’m sorry to disappoint you because you don’t need to be a christian or deliver to get temporal things. Whether you’re a christian or not, you can get material things. So your joy should definitely not be dependent on things or even people because if/when they are stripped away, you’d literally be left hanging and you'd end up blaming it on Jesus meanwhile he did not have anything to do with it, because his nature is love and he has done the only thing that you require to be joyful many years ago. He reconciled you with the father!
Galatians 5:22 shows that Joy is a fruit if your regenerated spirit; a spirit that understands the redemptive work of Christ.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, holiness, self control. (NLT)
The Holy Spirit on your inside will remind you everyday that Jesus is coming back for you and that’s enough reason to be joyful! Because you know your hope is not if this world or the things in it.
So whether you have much or you don’t have anything, you can be joyful because you have the Holy Spirit!
Joy SHOWS!
Lastly, when you’re joyful, it will show! Joy can have people thinking you’re crazy because when you go through things that were meant to break you and the world expects you to be overwhelmed and sad, you’ll be on your feet jumping for joy because of the hope that’s in you!
I'm going to use a very popular scripture as an example.(one out of the very many in the Bible)
Paul and Silas were put in Jail but they didn't sit around and get sad about the situation, they rejoiced even when they didn't know they were going to be set free. (Acts 16)
Joy is shifting your focus from your present realities to the reality of heaven! Glory to God!
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