Abiding Joy

This Bible verse from Day 4's homework is worth repeating: You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with JOY in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Ps. 16:11)

Beth says, "Once again we discover that the fruit of the Spirit originates in the heart and personality of God...Chara (joy), just like agape (love), belongs to Christ. He is the Possessor and Giver of true joy. Fleeting moments of 'happiness' may be experienced through other channels, but inner joy flows only from Christ." Abiding in Christ, staying firmly connected to him, allows joy to flow into our lives.

I also like the list of joy-thieves. Here it is.

We may lose our joy...

1. When our outpour exceeds our intake. How are you doing with keeping that intake up? Do you need to refuel more or stop burning up the fuel supply so quickly? Maybe both--more frequent fueling through prayer, fellowship, and God's word AND letting up on the accelerator a bit?

2. When our talk exceeds our walk.Do you know all the right spiritual words but there's a dead place in your heart? Is your spiritual life more "do as I say, not as I do" or more "the love of Christ compels me?" Congruity is important; if your words don't match your heart or your actions, the resulting spiritual dissonance will make joy elusive.

3. When we become "wonders junkies." God does do wonderful, amazing things; we should watch for them and rejoice in them. (Especially in the amazing work of raising Christ from the dead.) But are you addicted to them? Do you feel that unless God is doing astonishing things in your life, transforming you dramatically, giving miraculous guidance, that he's not working at all? Or that you're not doing what you should be? God spoke to Elijah in a "still, small voice." God works in "the day of small things." God wants to meet you in the magnificent AND the mundane.

4.When we are exhausted.Fatigue makes everything harder. My sister says, "When you're tired, the whole world looks ugly." Exhaustion snuffs out joy and blinds us to God's tender care and provision for our needs. Beth says, "God created the body. He knows we cannot function well when it is neglected. Are you neglecting your rest? What about eating? In our culture, we rarely neglect to eat; however, we neglect to eat for the body's benefit." What about exercise? It's a great energy-booster, and it helps us sleep better, too. A healthy physical body often contributes to a healthy sense of joy, too.

5. When we feel all alone. This one hits home for me. Isolation is a killer. It causes us to focus too much on ourselves, to sink into pity parties or superiority slumps, and to lose perspective and courage. Are you too much alone? Even with people all around? What keeps you feeling alone? What changes is God leading you to make in this area?

Losing our joy happens. The good news is that finding it again is no big deal; it's right where we left it--in God's presence. HE is our joy!!!