This week our focus with Joyce has been developing the habit of being HAPPY-the habit of JOY. The definition of "joy" in my concordance dictionary is, "emotion evoked by well-being, success or good fortune; gladness or delight." It's often thought that we can only be happy when life is going well, when people around us aren't causing troubles; then and only then are we HAPPY-joyful. We seem to have the belief that our happiness is based on our circumstances, based on how the events of the day unfold. Sisters, that's the lie that satan wants us to believe and it's a decision that we must make on a daily basis. I LOVED Joyce's insight into Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the LORD has made, we will REJOICE and be GLAD in it". She tells us that it's the statement "WE WILL" that is the deciding factor in the joy of our day. As I was reading this chapter, I was thrown back to my Sunday School days as a child and a couple of songs we sang on a regular basis about where to find the joy, "I have the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart. I have the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay." And the 2nd one that I sing often was, "Rejoice in the LORD always again I say rejoice. Rejoice in the LORD always again I say rejoice. Rejoice, rejoice, again I say rejoice. Rejoice in the LORD always again I say rejoice." A couple of very simple little songs, yet they reminds us where our Joy comes from. I also still have ingrained in my beliefs an acrostic poem that we were taught in Sunday School that is a great equation for joy:
JESUS first
OTHERS next
YOUSELF last
Yet again, a reminder of the source of our true joy, our true happiness. Where do we find joy in the midst of our lives? We find it by remembering the truth about GOD. We review HIS faithfulness in the past, we consider HIS provision now, and the hope for the good HE will bring in the future. We choose to believe that GOD is for us, with us and behind us 100%, and we give thanks with a joyful heart. Joy is not defined by our circumstances. It is based on our relationship with GOD. Exercising our faith in GOD-not in our circumstances-allows us to live in joy, to find that happiness that's only available in knowing JESUS. It's our weapon to fight the enemy so he cannot steal our joy. We have so many blessings, but we allow the busyness, the frustrations, the resentments of life to steal that joy. Psalm 68:3, "May the righteous be glad and rejoice before GOD; may they be happy and joyful."
Some days it's easy to find joy, to be happy, others it's a more difficult task, but if we remember where our happiness, our joy comes from, we choose to be happy, to find joy in everything we do, for our joy, our happiness was paid for with the blood of JESUS and it's only through HIM that we find true joy, true happiness.
If your week has been like mine, you have much to pray about AND TONS to be thankful and praise HIM for!!! Post your prayer requests so we can stand with you in your prayers, and let's also post the amazing things GOD is doing and has done in your life this week.
In HIM,
Kendra
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