Joy-Filled

“You have endowed him with eternal happiness. You have given him the unquenchable joy of your presence.” Psalm 21:6 TLB

Have you ever looked back at your life and wondered, how did I get from there to here? I have, and I am amazed that the answer is always the same… Jesus! He has been the one constant source that I depended on, through good times and not-so good times.

I can say that now, but there were times looking back that I wasn’t so sure I could depend on Jesus. I wasn’t even sure at times that I really knew Him or that He really knew me. Life gives us opportunities for many things that makes us happy, like marriage, children, jobs, new locations, new friends, new communities, or even a new church.

Can you remember a time that was a little unstable or rocky? Who did you depend on? As we grow up, maturing in the Lord, He allows us choices to be happy, sad, wild and crazy, or quiet and reserved. Most of these are emotions that are fleeting—but joy is an emotion that is God-given. If you feel it, joy comes from way deep in your soul; sometimes it’s unexplainable, and other times you cannot contain it. We all have the choice of emotions.

I like to think that for the most part of my life, I have been joy-filled. I don’t usually fall into depression or sadness for any length of time. I remember a Bible Study many years ago right here at LCC and one of the many take-aways was that the “woe-is-me pity-party” can only last for 24 hours! Then you need to talk with God and tell Him all that you’re feeling as He is the one who can bring you back to the joy-filled times. That has stuck with me for over 35 years, and I still try to adhere to it.

There was a time several years ago that that my joy was gone, my heart was shattered, and for quite a while I wondered if I would be able to find my joy again, or if I would even be able to talk with God again.

“Those who sow tears shall reap joy” (Psalm 126:5 TLB).

I’m sure we all have felt that kind of brokenness at some time. It may go on for days, weeks or months, and the more we stay in this state, the worse we feel. It becomes a vicious cycle until we allow God to step in and heal our hearts and our hurts and remove those burdens.

 “A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick” (Psalm 17:22 TLB).

 God doesn’t want us to carry these burdens nor does He want our hearts to remain shattered. Healing may not be instantaneous, and it does require us to make that commitment to ask God to help us once again find the joy He so freely gives.

So just how did I get from there to here? Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! He is the only one who can glue that shattered heart back together and fill you with His joy that can never be taken from you.

Won’t you ask Him now to come and restore your joy, come and lift your burdens so you can be the person that He has made you to be?

Abba Father, you are the only one that gives the kind of joy that will never leave us—a joy that goes so deep that no matter what we may go through, Your joy will always come back to the surface and restore us anew. Thank You that we can get from there to here with You. Amen!