God wants us to be full of joy, and indeed joy is part of the fruit of God. Joy- the very definition is “a very glad feeling, happiness; great pleasure.” Almost like “rejoicing!” One’s joy in this life is
set on their attitude. Paul states, “ I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.
Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and
to suffer need”(Philipians 4:12). Paul accepted life as it came and could count joy and
contentment in all situations. Christian joy is attainable. Paul encourages us to “be joyful in
hope, patient in tribulation, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Paul’s letters always included
practical instructions for Christians to positively ride out those hard times. He was one who
endured the attacks and was able to remain steadfast with joy. His faith was the biggest attribute to overcome his hurdles and it wasn’t by his own strength but in the true source-Christ. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
Joy in Obedience
“Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek him with the whole heart! They also do
no iniquity; They walk in His ways" (Psalm 119:2-3). There is a reward for obedience and one that brings pure joy! Joy is found because of the freedom within the boundaries. Some people see God’s laws as restrictive, a way to prevent them from really enjoying life. However, His
commands protect us from those things that harm us. Later in Psalms 119, it reads, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). Our love
for God puts us on a path to desire to obey and the fruit of that will be the inherited blessings we receive. Obedience should come with love and willingness, not one of grudge. There is no real joy in that. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart”
(Psalm 37:4). We need to willingly, respectively want to please our Lord.
We also should not have a heart of how close can I get to the line but still stay on the obedience side. When we find ourselves playing with that kind of hazard, we ultimately begin looking to identify the boundary of sin, and that can cultivate in our hearts. It’s so close to the edge of the fence we start to get hungry and thirsty for what the world has to offer. The enemy will then steal our innocence, safety, security, peace and joy. Because distraction will always make us see the greener pastures. Its watering our own and staying grounded in Him that will bring us the most joy.
Joy in Heaven
Can you imagine a place where every fiber of your being, every thought, every moment is pure
perfection? Contentment isn’t a passing feeling but an eternal state of being. What a motivation
to live the Christian life faithfully on earth to abound to that life in Heaven. Because we can do
nothing without the Father, we need to remain in Him. Habakkuk rejoiced in the Lord because
his joy wasn’t rooted in external circumstances, but his relationship with God. “Although the fig
tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labour of the olive shall fail, And
the fields shall yield no meat; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd
in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God
is my strength, And he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, And he will make me to walk upon
mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments "(Habakkuk 3:17-19). Since joy and hope are interconnected, it makes since then that joy we posses should outlast the earthly things and hope for the eternal things. And since we this world is a vapor (James 4:14) and the frailties of life are there, we must run the race and endure with wisdom to know this isn’t our forever resting place. As we have tried to find remedies for living longer in this physical life, God has put eternity with Him in our Hearts, (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and what a joy knowing that God is longing for that day when Christians will all unite together in a prepared, beautiful, perfect place called Heaven.
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