Joy Begins with God, Not your Circumstances
Scripture
” The joy of the Lord is your strength.” nehemiah 9:10 (MEV)
Reflection
When we think about joy we think about all the good things going on in our lives. We think about the new job, the good report cards our kids bring home, we think about the beautiful house we live in and the great church we found to worship at. Lets talk about biblical joy. It doesn’t depend on what is going on in our lives. Joy begins with God himself.
In this passage of scripture Ezra was reading the law to the people of Israel. This part of Nehemiah covers the history of the rebuilding of the wall and the oppression of the Israelites, the completion of the wall and the captives returning to Jerusalem. It was a very hard time in the lives of the Israelites.
Nehemiah was speaking these words of the law to a very weary and exhausted people. When our lives today get busy and things move ninety to nothing its very hard to focus on the good with any clarity and depth. Well the children of Israel were in the same bolt. Normally the time of the reading of the law was a joyous time of feasting and celebration. Not this year thou. They were tired from fighting and tired from building the massive wall around their beloved city. They weren’t thinking about all the good things going on around them.
God was with them, helping them, strengthening them, and providing them everything they needed to succeed. The Israelites were just to tired to celebrate and see the joy in their situation. God was offering them joy, He wasn’t denying their hardship they have been through he was offering them a joy that brought strength and it was a joy that didn’t fade when things got hard for them but a joy that is strong and tough to stand up in the hard times.
When we live out of a joyful life we are recognizing that our joy comes from God and not from something we create. This type of joy is anchored and present and solid even when everything around us is a mess. Joy is there when things don’t go as we planned, when prayers are unanswered, and when we are completely exhausted.
Women carry the weight of responsibilities, fears, expectations. Joy feels optional. Scripture reminds us that joy isn’t a luxury for the easy seasons in our lives but it’s fuel for the hard times we go through. Joy strengthens tired bodies and hearts. Joy also restores perspective, we get things distorted when we are so busy that we can’t take time to sort things out. Joy helps us bring things back into perspective.
When we place our joy in Christ we are not pretending everything is ok, we are trusting God with all our circumstances.
It’s not about forcing joy and minimizing what we are going through. We are shifting our joy. Instead of asking ” what in my life is making me happy” we are shifting our thinking to, “Where is God meeting me today.” It’s God’s presence in our lives that brings joy to our lives. His joy is lasting, strong, and it substains us in the hard times.
A joyful life begins with making the decision to trust God even in the bad times and in the joyful times.
Reflection
What has been shaping you sense of joy lately? If you change your perspective to allow God to be your source of Joy how would that change your outcome?
Prayer
Lord I come to you today with all my hopes and dreams. Every worry that I have and every situation I need to face this week. Teach me to find joy in you this week, not in the things that are happening around me this week. Let your joy come into my life strengthen my heart, and help me to see where you are changing my life for the better. Amen
Practice Joy
Take one minute today and acknowledge God’s presence. Whisper, “God you are my joy.” Let the presence of God fill your day today and bring joy into your day.
