The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 Are you experiencing joy in your walk with Jesus? Some people confuse joy with happiness, but the two are not the same. Happiness is an emotion based on our outward circumstances, how we are feeling, what people are saying about us, and other things that change. Joy is something we receive from the Lord Himself, who never changes. Therefore, it is possible to be strengthened with the joy of the Lord, regardless of our circumstances. But we cant expect to experience the joy of the Lord if our eyes are not focused on Him. You see, so often believers live in guilt instead of joy. We fail, and we feel defeated. Our passion for Jesus fades because weve tried to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him (Colossians 1:10), and weve failed. But Jesus never asked us to be perfect. In fact, none of us is perfect, and we are all sinners (Romans 3:23)! We all fail everyday -- but that doesnt change the love of Jesus for us. The truth is, we dont merit such love -- as sinnners, were not qualified to so much as stand before a holy God, much less partake of His love. But Colossians 1:12says that the Father has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance... He has delivered us from the power of darkness. Through His blood, we have redemption. Its not by our lack of sin, or even our good works, but by His grace -- and His grace alone -- that were forgiven. Because of Gods amazing love, we have joy. If you will accept the fact that God loves you, that He accepts you and forgives you, you will begin to experience the joy of the Lord. You will feel the freedom to look past your own defeats, your own guilt, and into the loving eyes of the Savior. And you will begin praying for other people, because your focus will no longer be on yourself. You will be a source of strength for others -- a person who shines of Gods love because youre assured of it. Indeed, the joy of the Lord will be your strength. Today, whatever circumstances you face, you can experience joy. Maybe youre experiencing problems at home with the kids or with your spouse. Maybe you have a difficult situation at work, or are in the middle of financial problems. Its okay to feel sadness, to feel frustration, to feel down -- we are human, and these are human emotions. But never let circumstances rob you of your joy by turning your eyes away from Jesus. If you will keep your eyes on Him, He will strengthen you with His joy. You are His child, and Hes looking out for you. Today, may you be strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy (Colossians1:11).
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:21:27 +0000