My prayer lately has been “Lord fill me with joy”! Sounds simple right? Just wake up and choose joy each day. On good days it it easy; but what do you choose on the bad days? You know what days I am talking about... the ones where everything goes wrong from the moment you roll out of bed until the moment you lay your head down at night. The days that make you feel incompetent at being a wife and a mother and you feel as if you have let the whole world down in a days time. Yes my friend- I have been there too many days to count! The bible actually tells us to "consider it pure joy... whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." -James 1:2-3. If you are anything like me, im not considering it "pure joy" until I have throw a couple fits about it, had a bad attitude for the day, and said things that I wish I could take back. Its usually in the final hours of the day that I throw my hands up and surrender all the negative unto the Lord, and realize how much better of a day it would have been if I would have done it hours sooner.
As I was studying the other day I was reminded of some things that bring me great joy— -Serving others -Seeing my children happy -Sharing the “Good News” of Jesus!!
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that all of these things brought Jesus great joy as well!! The word says “If you obey My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My fathers commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My JOY may be in you, and your JOY may be complete”! {John 15:10-11}
I think Jesus is telling us here if we walk in His will-doing His business-we can stay full of great joy {true joy} even when our tasks completely drain us physically, emotionally, and spiritually! I pray today that we be joyful in giving, serving, loving, and in all that we do!Jesus is the source of our joy! The word says "In His presence there is fullness of joy." God may we never take for granted the great privilege we have in being able to come into your presence empty and leave fulfilled.
You see, choosing joy is our choice, I just pray that we choose it sooner than later!
In His Grip,
Sarah Abernathy <3
Comments