Joy
JOY is the gladness and delight that causes us to exude a positive and optimistic outlook despite our external circumstances. Joy is usually greatly linked to the level of hope we carry within ourselves. The Holy Spirit at work in us can work out joy that knows no bounds. This isn’t an emotion like happiness that is based on circumstances and our eternal situations/happenings. Rather it is a result of not being swayed by external forces and rather holding on to the joy that radiates from coming to an understanding of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds. We make intentional efforts and choices with the help of the Holy Spirit to cultivate joy as part of our nature.
Hope Bring Forth Joy
Joy is a state of mind that transcends our current circumstances.
“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
1 Peter 1:8
We are trusting in the sure hope of our future glory that God will work it out, but also trusting that He will offer the grace and strength for our current circumstances especially when our current situation is incredibly hard for us to cultivate joy. When our current circumstances aren’t going according to plan we can still trust God as our healer, provider, protector and inspiration to see us through difficult seasons and moments. We have greater hope in that which we do not see, in the glorious future and end already assured for us through Jesus Christ.
Joy comes in the morning when we endure, abide and are steadfast in the presence of the Lord and lean on the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
It isn’t based on what we see in our physical realm. It is said that the Greek word used for Joy in Galatians 5 translates into “gladness and delight“. This reminds me of that verse that states
“Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.”PSALMS 37:4
Joy requires being fully committed to the things of Christ. When our focus is on Christ and being delighted in doing things that bring him glory, we find that we obtain the highest satisfaction and that brings about joy from within. It’s an inner working that cannot be tainted or affected by external factors. We must make deliberate efforts to choose joy always. In all situations and circumstances. It is not a passive trait we develop but it is intentional and with the help of the Holy Spirit, joy can take its place fully in our hearts. We must decide within ourselves to choose joy at all times.
The Joy of Our Salvation
“With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!”
Isaiah 12: 3
Our satisfaction comes from Christ and from receiving replenishment from Him when he lean into Him as the source of our strength and joy. The imagery of drawing from a fountain alludes to the idea that our soul is thirsting for something. That something is intimacy and relationship with our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Going to the fountain we draw with joy because we have an anticipationa dn expectation that our thirst will be satisifed. We ahve this anticipation because of a tarck record and past experience from having being replenished whenever we have gone to this fountain. Apart from that a fountain is usually always running and always generating water to nourish and replenish those around. That is what the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for us. It refreshes our soul. That is why it is of uttermost importance that we stay in the word. That is where we get the refreshment our soul craves and requires. When our delight is in the Lord, we trust Him as the only one to satisfy the thirsting of our soul and in that satisfaction we can emit true joy.
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalms 16:11
Joy & Eternal Pleasure
It can sometimes mean that while it may look like we are wasting away to the human eye on the outside yet we are being perfected. We have true joy when we are in the center of God’s will for our lives. We aren’t chasing after what the world determines as successful, what our peers and contemporaries deem successful, not what our loved ones or even what we ourselves deem as successful because we tend to have a flawed view of these things if we don’t view things through from a kingdom perspective. We are all individuals are made uniquely by God to fulfill our God-ordained purpose. No matter what that looks like for you and for me, we find the greatest pleasure and therefore joy in pursuing after that one thing that God has placed in our hearts. It’s not a one time discovery mind you, it requires constant connection to the Holy Spirit and for us to yield ourselves to be guided by Him on all fronts.
Joy is found in the presence of God and the person of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit help fill our mind and consciousness with the presence of God such that we aren’t contaminated by worldly desires such that our joy can become diluted.
#SeekGodMore
Mo 🙂
Further Study/References:
YouVersion bible plan
DesiringGod article
A young woman on a mission to discovering purpose, to inspire growth and contribute to the Kingdom mandate. On the blog we are all about learning and growing and this is done through writing on topics from Faith, Education, Music, Food, Travel and so much more… (Romans 12:2)
View more posts
