It started off with a few days ill, and then a few days of little sleep. But I guess more importantly than all that, it was one of those weeks when I didn't have too much desire to read my bible. A couple of days I didn't read it. Some I did the bare minimum that the daily reading book required, and some days I read it for my own enjoyment. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has weeks like this. Sometimes, life saps the pleasure away from a Christian. Circumstances, problems, people, work and doubts all can have a negative effect upon our Christian walk.
I’ve asked myself the question “How can I make my Christian life more consistent?” Firstly, I need to make sure I understand the feelings that being a Christian should bring. Most of us expect to feel ‘Happiness’ as a Christian, and that if we don’t have that feeling all of the time, there must be something wrong with us. Happiness however is defined in the dictionary as “the emotion experienced when in a state of well-being”. Happiness then, is an emotion we feel when things are going our way. When life is going well. When our hopes are fulfilled, and our dreams are met. Happiness it would seem depends on how our life is going. In Lamentations 3:17 the writer says “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is”. Because of the experiences of the writer (thought to be Jeremiah the prophet), he had no happiness in his life.
The bible mentions “Happiness” twice in the ESV, but the word “Joy (or joyful etc) is mentioned 192 times. What then is the difference between Joy and Happiness? The dictionary describes Joy as “Something or someone that provides a source of happiness”. A “Source” of happiness?! Not the feelings that we feel, but the person or object that create those feelings. For a Christian, we have Jesus Christ (person) and the fact we have the benefits of eternal salvation (object) to give us joy. Joy is an attitude that we choose to have, unaffected by circumstances or surroundings, and is always present for the Christian to be in its benefit.
“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:7. What brings Joy to God’s heart? When a person turns from sin, and trusts in the Lord Jesus.....That delights God. The verse of course doesn't say that the 99 righteous people don’t delight God, of course they do. God loves those that are His. But He rejoices when a sinner repents and returns to Him, when the prodigal son comes home, and the lost sheep is found.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full". John 15:11. What had Jesus told His disciples to inform them of a Joy that was theirs? He told them that He was the vine, and they could “Abide in Him”, and that “He who abides in me, and I in Him, will bear much fruit”. This is the secret for a joyful, fruitful Christian life....Abiding in Him. My daily walk would have more joy to it if I constantly abided in Christ. Sadly, so often it isn’t.
Secondly, Jesus had told them “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love” Is there a better feeling than the one of being loved? A perfect, without motive, always accepting, self sacrificing love, which is undeservedly given to us? If we can start to abide in the goodness of that, we will really have an experience of Joy! I have been guilty of trying to find happiness and love from others, and it can be found, but human love isn’t the same as the Love of God, and it can’t give us eternal, lasting, unconditional feelings of joy.
“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” John 16:22. Jesus promised His disciples that while there would be sorrow because of His death, His resurrection would bring a joy that no one could rob them of. Why was Peter so bold at Pentecost? Why did the disciples lay down their life for the Lord? Because His resurrection confirmed all of their beliefs, that He was the Son of God! We can have true lasting joy in our daily lives because our saviour has risen. He has paid the price for sin. He has gone into glory as our forerunner. And he promised “if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again; that where I am, there you may be also”. My saviour is coming again for me, which should be a source of constant joy. Maybe I’ll see Him tonight?
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom 15:13. The Holy Spirit loves to increase our joy. He loves to remind us all that Jesus has done for us. This shows us that joy can be increased or decreased; depending upon how much time and effort we spend on the Lord. We can have the Joy of God, or fill ourselves with the temporary happiness of the world.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9. As a Christian, trials will come. Problems will arise. But then if we can try to see that they are all used by God for our benefit, and to mould us to be more like Christ, then even the most difficult of problems can be a source of Joy.
I’m afraid I have hardly touched the surface of what joy is in scripture, and how we can apply it in our lives, but I hope it encourages you to read a bit more into it. May our walk together be one of deep Joy, as we go on the way with our saviour. Please feel free to share this post with others, and as always your extra thoughts and comments are greatly valued. You can follow this blog at Facbook/ODCAO
Yours in Him.
Dan
I’ve asked myself the question “How can I make my Christian life more consistent?” Firstly, I need to make sure I understand the feelings that being a Christian should bring. Most of us expect to feel ‘Happiness’ as a Christian, and that if we don’t have that feeling all of the time, there must be something wrong with us. Happiness however is defined in the dictionary as “the emotion experienced when in a state of well-being”. Happiness then, is an emotion we feel when things are going our way. When life is going well. When our hopes are fulfilled, and our dreams are met. Happiness it would seem depends on how our life is going. In Lamentations 3:17 the writer says “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is”. Because of the experiences of the writer (thought to be Jeremiah the prophet), he had no happiness in his life.
The bible mentions “Happiness” twice in the ESV, but the word “Joy (or joyful etc) is mentioned 192 times. What then is the difference between Joy and Happiness? The dictionary describes Joy as “Something or someone that provides a source of happiness”. A “Source” of happiness?! Not the feelings that we feel, but the person or object that create those feelings. For a Christian, we have Jesus Christ (person) and the fact we have the benefits of eternal salvation (object) to give us joy. Joy is an attitude that we choose to have, unaffected by circumstances or surroundings, and is always present for the Christian to be in its benefit.
“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:7. What brings Joy to God’s heart? When a person turns from sin, and trusts in the Lord Jesus.....That delights God. The verse of course doesn't say that the 99 righteous people don’t delight God, of course they do. God loves those that are His. But He rejoices when a sinner repents and returns to Him, when the prodigal son comes home, and the lost sheep is found.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full". John 15:11. What had Jesus told His disciples to inform them of a Joy that was theirs? He told them that He was the vine, and they could “Abide in Him”, and that “He who abides in me, and I in Him, will bear much fruit”. This is the secret for a joyful, fruitful Christian life....Abiding in Him. My daily walk would have more joy to it if I constantly abided in Christ. Sadly, so often it isn’t.
Secondly, Jesus had told them “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love” Is there a better feeling than the one of being loved? A perfect, without motive, always accepting, self sacrificing love, which is undeservedly given to us? If we can start to abide in the goodness of that, we will really have an experience of Joy! I have been guilty of trying to find happiness and love from others, and it can be found, but human love isn’t the same as the Love of God, and it can’t give us eternal, lasting, unconditional feelings of joy.
“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” John 16:22. Jesus promised His disciples that while there would be sorrow because of His death, His resurrection would bring a joy that no one could rob them of. Why was Peter so bold at Pentecost? Why did the disciples lay down their life for the Lord? Because His resurrection confirmed all of their beliefs, that He was the Son of God! We can have true lasting joy in our daily lives because our saviour has risen. He has paid the price for sin. He has gone into glory as our forerunner. And he promised “if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again; that where I am, there you may be also”. My saviour is coming again for me, which should be a source of constant joy. Maybe I’ll see Him tonight?
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom 15:13. The Holy Spirit loves to increase our joy. He loves to remind us all that Jesus has done for us. This shows us that joy can be increased or decreased; depending upon how much time and effort we spend on the Lord. We can have the Joy of God, or fill ourselves with the temporary happiness of the world.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9. As a Christian, trials will come. Problems will arise. But then if we can try to see that they are all used by God for our benefit, and to mould us to be more like Christ, then even the most difficult of problems can be a source of Joy.
I’m afraid I have hardly touched the surface of what joy is in scripture, and how we can apply it in our lives, but I hope it encourages you to read a bit more into it. May our walk together be one of deep Joy, as we go on the way with our saviour. Please feel free to share this post with others, and as always your extra thoughts and comments are greatly valued. You can follow this blog at Facbook/ODCAO
Yours in Him.
Dan
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. This was the topic my pastor talked about this week and I am glad to see that you had the same basic message. "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say REJOICE!!!"
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