Source of True Joy

 

 

Lorie Hartshorn – Co-Host – The 700 Club Canada, cbn.com

We all want to experience joy in our lives, but the truth is there are things that can rob us of joy. Not too long ago I put out a question on our 700 Club Canada Facebook page asking, what steals your joy? These were some of the responses:

• Comparison, when I feel less than others
• Competition, when I feel I can’t keep up
• Unmet expectations
• Disappointment
• Stress
• Busyness
• Sickness
• Regret
• Fear

That’s quite a list. Can you relate to any of those things stealing your joy? I’m sure we all can to one degree or another.

There is good news today. We can have joy in spite of any of those things! True joy is not dependent on whether I’m experiencing stress, sickness, regret, fear, unmet expectations or feeling like I’m not measuring up. True joy is a frame of mind, not a feeling.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul uses the word joy 16 times! He tells us that we find joy even in the middle of difficult circumstances. The joy-stealers above are all situations that can change from one day to the next. But the source of true joy is not transient or changing, because the source of our joy is Jesus, and He is eternal and unchanging.

The Bible says:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

He does not change! Because He does not change, He is able to be the source for unchanging, unending, indestructible joy for us no matter what is happening in our life.

Paul was not a happy-go-lucky, nothing-bad-ever-happens-to-me type of person. His freedom was denied, his finances were dwindling, his future was in doubt. Yet, it was Paul who wrote such things as

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

And:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Philippians 4:11)

Paul could write those things because the eternal, unchanging Jesus was the source of his joy.  We can make Him the source of our joy and experience joy in any circumstance as well.

What do we do when life is unfair? Do we grumble? Do we become bitter and angry? Do we say, “Why me?” If our joy is centered on transient things, that’s most likely what we do. Paul, though, centered his joy on Jesus and his relationship with Him. That’s why he wrote,

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! (Philippians 3:1)

When Jesus is our source, our joy does not have to dissipate when problems come our way, because Jesus never changes. We can rejoice in Him, even when our lives get rocky. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is our stability, our hope and our joy. So don’t let those joy-stealers gain any ground in your life, because that’s courageous living.

Prayer of Commitment
Father, thank You for being my stability and source of joy. I focus on You and not my changing circumstances and rejoice in You today.