A few weeks ago I decided to start studing about joy. In life, there are so many things that pull at you, and if you're not careful, will start to drag you down. I felt this happening to me with the many stresses of life so I decided to look to the Lord to see how He would have me to respond to these things. I did a word search on joy and soon found a common theme... The place to find joy is in the Lord's presence. This shouldn't be surprising, but many times we search in the wrong places only leaving us empty. He wants us to spend time listening to His still small voice with His many comforting and encouraging words. Here are some verses that encouraged me.
Psalm 16:11
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.
Psalm 21:6
Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence
Acts 2:28
You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.
Jude 1:24
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy...
7 comments:
Thanks for sharing Marcie!
marcie, this was very encouraging to me. combined with marti's last post, i think the Lord is really trying to remind me of my need to put forth an effort to be joyful. it's hard sometimes, isn't it?! thank you for the reminder that joy is found in the presence of the Lord and not anywhere else. you are a great testimony of one who chooses to be joyful no matter what. thank you for being a living testimony! i love you!!!
a side note: i love the monkey picture! :o)
I agree...whenever I find myself struggling to even lift the corners of my mouth, I suddenly realize how distant I've been from the Lord. But it makes sense, right? Why WOULD we be joyful, apart from His fellowship? Without Him, there is no reason to keep from wallowing in the circumstances of life!
Thank you so much for posting this, Marce. My colleagues and I are in a tough situation right now, and one of our biggest daily reminders to each other in the face of it has been to find joy in the fact that God will be glorified and to cling to the cross of Christ. You are so very right about our joy being found in the presence of God.
Thanks, too, for your encouraging comments at my blog. Love ya, sweetie!
Oh... this is soooo true. Thanks for this reminder.
I am one of Jenny's colleagues. Just a little background on my family. My wife, Stephanie, and I have been married for nine years and three years ago we lost our first child halfway through the pregnancy, so I understand what you and your husband have been through. If you guys need any encouragement dealing with that struggle, let us know. God will bless you, He has blessed us with a 19 month old boy, Eli, and another one on the way in June. God is good all the time.
Pertaining to this post, John Piper says that our purpose is to glorify God and "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." Piper goes on to say that being satisfied in Him gives Him glory, but it also gives us joy to the full. Christ came to give us life abundantly. (Jn. 10:10) We live the abundant life that God intended us to live when we experience the joy that comes through seeing God glorify Himself through our lives. What a wonderful way to spend our one God-given life.
Thanks Marcie.
I love to be reminded to be joyful. I know the reason my middle name is Joy is to remind me to be that way because it doesn't come naturally for me. =)
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