Where's my joy?

For weeks now, there has been one single word that the Lord has placed in my spirit.  It seems that every single day, He throws something at me and brings me to it.

Joy.

I’ve let that word preach to myself, but I feel like He must have intended for me to share my thoughts with you.

Let’s be honest, joy is a struggle.  There are some weeks where I’m full of it.  Others, I have to force myself to smile.  I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I get in a rut of irritability or depression, it’s hard to climb out.  But it’s in those times, I can cuddle up close to Him, spend time in His word, and He pulls me right back up where I belong.

Today, He spoke a phrase into my spirit…. “As Christians, when we lack joy, we lack authenticity.”

Now, before you disagree with that statement, let’s think about it.

Authenticity is a quality to possess.  It simply means to be genuine or real, not false (or fake - ouch).

If there is one thing I want to be known as, it’s an authentic Christian.  I want to be genuine and real.  And I want people to see my authenticity on the outside.  They shouldn’t have to dissect my life or open up my heart to see if Jesus lives there.  They should be able to see Him through the joy I possess.  If I’m full of Him, my outward appearance will reflect it.

As Christians, we all have gifts and talents, and they are all different.  But one thing we all have in common is the joy of the Lord.  When we receive Him, he fills us up with joy.  But while His love, grace, and mercy are never failing and can never be separated from us, joy takes a tad more effort on our part.  We have to choose joy; it can come and go.  We must be proactive, spending time with Him, opening up our hearts and allowing him to fill us up until we are overflowing.  When we overflow joy, others will take note.  And I can’t think of a better way to reach souls, to minister to those who are hurting, than to have joy written all over my face.  No word I say or song I sing will be effective without a joyful heart.

“Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I’m not saying it’s possible to be joyful 100% of the time.  It’s not always sunshine and rainbows.  And it’s also important to be able to share our struggles with those who need Him.  Some may think we, as Christians, live a stress-free, worry-free life, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  However, when we face difficulty, He never leaves our side and He makes a way out.  And we can be joyful in the bad times because we have hope for a better future. 

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

Life is full of ups and downs, problems, troubles, sickness, unfairness, and cruelty.   Those things tend to weigh heavy on our hearts and they can quickly steal our joy.  It’s also hard to find joy in the mundane walk of life.  I have a hard time finding joy in dirty laundry, misbehaving kids, politics, current events, and piles of bills.  But when I lack joy, I have to remember... if He’s ever brought me out of a sticky situation, blessed me beyond measure, shown me grace when I least deserved it, then I most definitely have something to be joyful about. 

“Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.”  Psalm 90:14

I will never lose the joy-shaped hole in my heart, but it can get empty.  I simply have to fill it up with Him.  When I’ve filled my heart with Him, His joy shines on the outside and it’s uncontrollable.

According to the dictionary, joy comes from being fully satisfied. 

Satisfy me, Lord, so that I can live a joyful life, a testament of Your never-ending love for me.

I’ll leave you with a passage that is so fitting for this topic.  These are words spoken by Jesus, commanding us to be authentic, joy-filled Christians.

            “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.  You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.  Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.  But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted.  When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples.  This brings great glory to my Father. 

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Remain in my love.  When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”  John 15:11