QUEST FOR JOY

"JOY is a net of love by which you can catch souls. A JOYful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love."

-- Mother Teresa

The Greek word for 'joy' is chara, derived from the word charis, which is the Greek word for 'grace.' This is important because it tells us that chara is produced by the charis of God. This means 'joy' is not a human-based happiness that comes and goes...Rather, true 'joy' is divine in origin...it is a Spirit-given expression that flourishes best in hard times.


As we had our family devotions a few days ago, our random discussion word was "JOY".


How do you get it, how do you keep it, does it show if you have it, what happens if you lose it, can you lose it, what brings each of us true joy and can we have it being separate from Christ?

Is it simply a deeper form of happiness?

Of course we were not able to answer all of these but we sure left the conversation different than entered in.


First~

If God commands His people to be full of joy, which He does, then who are we not pursue this with every fiber of our being?

Philippians 4:4 (NLT)

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

He doesn’t say when things are going swell THEN be joyful, He said ALWAYS.


We decided this must be a choice. WE CHOOSE JOY!

Second~

This must mean it’s not circumstantial. To keep it means to pursue Him. My husband thoughts… “Joy is both an outcome of our relationship with the Lord and our source of strength because in Nehemiah 8:10 it say’s ‘The Joy of the Lord is our strength”. I need all the strength I can get!

Third~
Joy vs. happiness-
Happiness, according to the Oxford English dictionary, is based on luck or good fortune. Joy on the other hand, is described as a vivid emotion of pleasure. Thus, happiness depends on circumstance; joy, on our emotional well-being.

My daughter said ““Joy is soul deep, a deepness that only Jesus can reach”, Right into the vessel of our well being.

~I love that!!~

Joy is as deep and rooted as our faith in Christ is. Immovable, stationary, steadfast, unshakable, unwavering and unyielding!
Happiness although awesome to ‘feel’ can be fleeting and change like the ocean tides. Cinnamon spice candles bring me happiness. A tall vanilla chai tea from SB makes me feel happy.

• Laughing so hard my stomach hurts
• a hot shower
• taking a drive on a pretty road
• hearing my favorite song on the radio
• lying in bed listening to the rain outside
• hot towels out of the dryer
• a text from a friend
• A bubble bath
• Giggling
• a good conversation
• the beach
• Laughing at myself.

~How do we fare?~

Fourth~ How do we get it?

My husband said…."Well you ask”!! Seriously is it truly that easy?

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Proverbs 13:4
The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

His Spirit is there to cause things to happen in peoples' lives that bring them more in tune with God's purposes on earth (and beyond). When the Spirit starts changing someone, it shows as a growth in character, a change in their way of life that is good for the people they live among. The fruit of the Spirit is one nine fold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit .

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.


~I desire JOY!~
Fifth~ How do we keep it? Again my sweet girl made the good point, “We keep it by concentrating on things outside ourselves and instead on His Word”

Finally~

Does that mean if you are not a Christian you do not experience joy?

I don’t pretend to know the hearts and ways of man. That is God’s job. But for me and my house we are in agreement that being separate from God sounds utterly HOPELESS!

My son who is always very quiet in conversations closed our sweet time with this… “Joy is a way of life”!

~Precious~

You see having a personal relationship with Jesus; it’s a verb an action word.


First repentance of sin, then an acceptance of Him as our Savior. Be thankful, have gratitude, shake off animosity, resentment and grudges. Have empathy and compassion. Have a heart that beats passionately after God the Father!

Romans 15:13 (NIV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As Psalm 16:11

…You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

This is what people are after: fullness of joy and endless pleasure. Full and endless. Full and endless.


Oh to bathe in His exquisite splendor! Oh to be in that immovable beautiful peaceful place of joy he created us to be in.


To be in a state of being so fully overflowing with joy that it permeates our pours and pours forth to those around us.