Revisiting Joy!

20 Oct Revisiting Joy!

October 20, 2024

Revisiting Joy!

Today, we are going to talk about Joy.  I said Lord, why are we talking about joy again? We talked about it about five or six months ago. Then I was reminded as we talked about another situation that I finally got a revelation about where I heard these words: “I understood, now I understand.”

It is not good enough for us to have the definition or the spiritual context and even be obedient in doing things. God also wants us to understand, comprehend, and appreciate the meaning of things too. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”  So, God wants us to revisit Joy. 

Live a Joyful Life

We experience many things in life, but God wants us to love and live in the joy that lightens our hearts and faces—that feeling of delight and happiness.  I’ve been tossing this word around in my life for weeks, looking for it, experiencing it, asking God about it, and looking through scriptures in my mind for the one that really captures this expression/emotion that is so valuable and important to God for us. 

Oh, Happy Day!

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24

This one came to mind first as it is present tense right now, telling us what we should be doing, taking delight, or being incredibly pleased that we have been privileged with another day of life and glad about it.  Many people are having a great time in life now, and others may be going through all kinds of challenges. That maybe you in your own personal life, but remember, there’s always something to be glad about.  Jesus tells his disciples in John 15, “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full.”  So, it sounds like Joy can be lost or lacking, but it should be full.

Rejoice in the Lord 

I can hear someone saying Sister Theresa, you don’t know what’s going on in my life. That may be true, but I know God is still on the Throne. Let’s try seeing where we are, what position God is holding in that situation, and if we need to push him back to the top and let His joy be our strength. In Matthew chapter six, Jesus says don’t worry about your life. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness! Matthews 6:32-33 in The Living Bible says this: “But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.” Sounds like we have some responsibility in the joyful life that we live or lack thereof.

I believe that as we see things as God sees them, there can be nothing but joy. There’s no sadness in heaven. You could not even step before a king in Nehemiah’s day; sad it would be off with your head. Try confessing Psalm 42:11 CEV “Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you, Lord! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God. “Rejoice in the Lord! 😊

Hallelujah Anyhow!

Habakkuk understood rejoicing in the Lord quite well, for he lived and prophesied in a time when Judah was about to go into captivity because they were repeatedly called to repentance as a nation, and they disobeyed. God tells the Prophet what he’s going to do, and it’s not nice, and it will not be pleasant, but Habakkuk chooses to firmly cling to God, regardless of what happens to the nation. And keeps his joy, he says in Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. “

A quote by Hall of Fame football coach Tony Dungy says, “Today we are a divided country. We’re divided racially, politically, and socio-economically. And Satan is laughing at us because that is exactly what he wants. Dysfunction, mistrust, and hatred help this kingdom flourish”.  

Habakkuk did not like what he was seeing in the natural or heard from the Lord. It actually brought him to his knees, but he writes in chapter two, “But the Just Shall Live by his Faith,” no matter what is going on now or in the unforeseeable future.  Hallelujah, anyhow, should be our position. I’m keeping my joy.

Christ is the Answer!

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Have you ever been traveling, and you were merrily going down the road singing or listening to your favorite song, and you realized you were not where you should be, or something felt off, but when you got back on the right track, man, you went right back to singing that song.  Life can feel like that sometimes. Just know God will show us the way to go, whether it’s full speed ahead, stop, wait a minute, recalibrate, or head in another direction. He will make those cricket places straight. He’ll give us a plan that we could not even phantom, but that will be a continual path to experience our best life, full of joy and happiness.

So, let’s decide to keep our joy and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. Let’s usher in His presence right now and every day to experience the joy of the Lord and keep it flowing intentionally (on purpose). Let’s make it original and fresh by singing a new song and thanking Him for the joy of it all. 💕

Theresa Woodard