How To Get Joy!

Once again, God has spoken to my heart and He has something He wants you to know.

My Pastor spoke on joy yesterday... well, actually, the message series is about renewal. He hit on JOY yesterday. Joy, he said is "a constant state of well being."

Joy is something that we are gifted. It's already inside of us.

Happiness is based on circumstances. Life is hard. Bad things happen to good people all the time. If you base your life on happiness, then you will be let down.

If you dig into the gift of joy that God has already given you, it will get you through life. Jesus said in John 15: 10-11, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

This is not Jesus trying to be legalistic here with the commands part of this verse. Jesus said the greatest command was to love God and love people. I think the 10 commandments are important, but that's not our full focus in our Christian walk. Jesus wants His joy to make us complete. I think that's pretty cool!

Are you living out of joy? Or have you allowed circumstances, situations and people to distract you?

The best way to renew your joy is to focus on God in silence, through prayer, and allow what He says about you to sink into your heart. 

Part of my Jesus Calling Devotional today says this:
"Remember that joy is not dependent on your circumstances. Some of the world's most miserable people are those whose circumstances seem the most enviable. People who reach the top of the ladder career-wise are often surprised to find emptiness awaiting them. True joy is the by-product of living in My Presence. Therefore you can experience it in palaces, in prisons... anywhere. Do not judge a day as devoid of joy just because it contains difficulties. Instead, concentrate on staying in communication with Me."

Stop listening to the world for your value. Your value does not come from another human being. You don't have to be enough of ________ to be awesome. You are already awesome because God made you that way!

Take time to replace the negative non joyful thoughts in your head and the truth of who God says you are.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

You are God's masterpiece created for good things.

You are loved unconditionally.

Let God heal your heart and bring joy to the surface today. He wants to do that for you.