There Should Be Joy

June 24, 2019

A characteristic of God's people should be joy...this is a reoccurring theme I keep hearing lately. It's what makes us different from those without hope, without faith, without trust. This has become my personal conviction-that as I represent Him I should be full of joy--not because of my circumstances but often in spite of them. This conviction came out of a long season of joylessness.

I was grouchy all the time, full of dread, complaining, even doubtful. God began to speak to me..."This shouldn't be!" I realized something was wrong--I had lost my joy. I began to pray and say, God, give me my joy back!!! (As if He had taken it.)

Here are the things God led me to do: First, I had to get BACK into His Word like never before, Next, I began to LOOK for His Presence and His blessings all around me and then, I had to STOP dwelling on the things I can't change or the things that disappoint me.

This doesn't mean that there aren't seasons for mourning, you know there are. It does mean that it should only be for a season. Though your sorrow lasts for the night, joy comes in the morning. (Psalms 30:5) I read this verse and I ask myself, how often has something come along or happened that was truly a reason for sorrow but instead of it lasting for a night it lasted way past several nights, maybe weeks, or more. You know why I let that happen...because let me just be honest, after a certain point I was just having a pity party and I loved my pity party—even if I was the only one there. I had to learn to ditch my pity party and have a praise party instead.

When I changed what I focused on it changed my attitude too. You know what else I ask myself--how many of God's blessings, God-winks, or even opportunities to be used by Him were missed because I stayed at my pity party too long. I pray for you, that God would restore your joy if you've lost it--not just to the top, overflowing!