Tag Archives: Full joy

Complete Joy, Completely Loved

The Joy of Decreasing

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Before he was thrown into prison and beheaded, John the Baptizer spoke into a dispute his disciples were having. They were bothered by the fact that folks were going to Jesus to be baptized instead of them. John told them, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.”[1] He said, “I must decrease and He must increase” [2] He spoke of rejoicing and being full of joy in yielding his life to Jesus.[3]

As we yield our lives to the Lord, this frees us into the joy of caring for and focusing on others. In Philippians, Paul tells us to fight for the interest of others, to stop caring just for ourselves.[4] He says to pattern our lives after Jesus’ life, who emptied Himself and was obedient to the point of death on a cross.[5]

Then he writes, “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:17-18 NASB)

Being poured out – rejoicing and joy. We’re starting to see a pattern here.

In Romans 15, Paul challenges us not to live to please ourselves, but to patiently empower others.[6] He calls God a fountain of hope who fills us to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as we trust our lives to Him.[7]

There’s overwhelming evidence that self-promotion, self-glorification, self-serving and self-effort is the antithesis of joy. God is calling us to pour our efforts towards others. This means we must trust ourselves to His care.

 Before Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, John gives us a peek into His thoughts. “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about.” (John 13:3-4 NASB)

Peter would deny Him and Judas would betray Him, yet Jesus washed all his disciples’ feet. He needed nothing from men. He trusted in His Father’s complete love. And this same love is available to us.

Jesus tells us, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:10-12 NIV)

Jesus tells us how to remain in the Lord’s love and how to complete our joy. As you might guess, it has to do with loving and caring for others.

 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. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:10-12 NIV)

Following Jesus’ example of trusting His Father’s complete love and loving others sacrificially fills us to the brim with the Joy of Jesus.

Joy doesn’t come from promoting ourselves. It comes from trusting, from yielding, from decreasing, from loving others because our life belongs to God.

The Kingdom of God flows in opposition to the world. The world says – look out for yourself, seek your happiness and you’ll be satisfied. Jesus says empty yourself and trust your Father with your well-being. Serve others sacrificially and your Joy will be complete.

[1] John 3:27b

[2] John 3:30

[3] John 3:29

[4] Philippians 2:3-4

[5] Philippians 2:5-8

[6] Romans 15:1-2 TPT

[7] Romans 15:13 TPT

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Eternal Gladness, Joy in Trials

Can We be Sad and Glad at the Same Time?

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Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice (Psalm 51:8 ESV)

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m basking in the unwavering truth that God has made me glad. In spite of life’s despairs, eternal joy cheers my heart, but this perspective doesn’t come naturally.

The temperature is 97, but I prefer our shaded porch at the edge of the forest. At least for now, Lily, our little shih apso, chooses to be with me over the air conditioning on the other side of the door. As mentioned in a previous post, my challenge is to rejoice each day inspite of situations which threaten my gladness. I know from my reader’s comments that I’m not alone. If we live long enough, we all face dire times which stretch our faith.

Jesus said it: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 ESV)

No one goes through life unscathed. But trials can be more than something to endure. They can have real purpose.

I pause and allow the rhythmic, cascading flow in our water garden to wash my soul and remind me of the Lord’s constant love and presence. I admire the pink, green and white plants my wife and I added beside the pool. Fans above and in front of me yield a cooling breeze which cuts the heat. Beholding my surroundings reminds me that God’s created things are physical extensions of His Glory to be savored. I rest in the joy of His presence.

Peter, a hero of mine, who wrestled to fully surrendering himself to God, speaks of some amazing eternal truths which bring great joy:[1]

  • We have a Living Hope
  • Our inheritance is safely stowed away, beyond the possibility of corruption
  • We are currently surrounded by the powerful protection of God

Speaking of these he says, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (I Peter 1:6-8 NASB)

These eternal truths stabilize our hearts even though we may be distressed (made sorrowful) by various trials (provings).

God is at work in our sorrow, inviting us to press into Him more vigorously, by faith. As we do, we realize joy is never dependent on our circumstances.

James agrees with Peter – “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”(James 1:2-4 NASB)

Having joy in trials seems so wrong, but if the trials can add some lasting, eternal understanding and deepen our faith, would our sufferings be  worth it? Could we get to the point James is talking about where we lack nothing because we live with Jesus, our Eternal Joy. I’m starting to believe so. See what I wrote in my journal a couple of weeks ago:

May 11, 2019 – I was getting ready to go to bed when a truth I've believed in my head became a reality in my heart. In other words, it went from head knowledge to life knowledge. These extremely difficult times the last few years really have deepened me. I've been forced to come to terms with my emotions and to explore some core level areas with God. He's traveled with me as deep as I've ventured, exposing pain and deep lies He's wanted to heal. I ask Him to go deeper still, as far as He wants to go to keep me focused on what He wants in my life and the lives of those around me. He is my Joy. I need nothing else.
As I pondered what I just wrote, I realize that this deep healing, this walking with God through extremely painful things, this stripping away of what I thought was good, and what I expected would happen, has brought about a benefit of enternal quality which actually outweighs the hard realities of what I’ve faced.
This is something I would have readily said as a spiritual fact, but now its a growing reality in my heart.

Years ago, I wouldn’t have thought I could be sad and glad at the same time, but if these hard times are purifying my faith and teaching me that God Himself is my Joy then they are worth the suffering. And when I realize the benefits, I’m glad.

You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound (Psalm 4:7 NASB)

Lord, in good times and bad, You are my Joy. You make my heart glad. Thank you for the way You’re surgically stripping away all else. You and You alone are my Joy. You gladden my heart.

“You care enough to give me what I need not what I want. You care enough to break my bones in order to recapture my heart.” [2]

[1] I Peter 1:3-5

[2] New Morning Mercies – A Daily Gospel Devotion Crossway, Paul Tripp (June 1st)

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Joy Defined, Joyful Heart, Joyful Strength

How Can the Joy of the Lord be our Strength?

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Weeping

God’s people were weeping. They’d been through years of exile in a foreign land, but were back in Jerusalem, gathered before the newly rebuilt Water Gate. Ezra, the priest, asked for the book of the Law of Moses to be brought forth. He read it from early morning to midday. The people were attentive and greatly moved.[1]

Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground (Nehemiah 8:6) NASB.

From hearing the law of God, something was awakened deep within the people. A longing for God was stirred up. They began to weep.[2]

A Call to Joy

When Nehemiah heard the people weeping, he said to them, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” (Nehemiah 8:9)

Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

David had written years before, “In Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11b).

In this time of grieving, of weeping, of longing for God, the people needed to be encouraged. Their hearts needed to be infused with the joy of the Lord which grows with His nearness.

What is Joy?

The word Hebrew for joy Nehemiah used to cheer the people literally means gladness. But joy has much deeper implications than just being happy.

In his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis describes joy as the experience “of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” He goes on to say that joy only has one characteristic in common with happiness and pleasure, “the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again.”[3]

So this experience called Joy is an awakening in our hearts of a longing for God, knit into every fabric of our being. Joy exuding from the Lord, awakens our longing for Him and invites us further into His presence.

Enjoy

God has given us many things to enjoy. Nehemiah commands the people to enjoy eating the fat of the land and to drink of the sweet, making glad their hearts. These enjoyments are a physical manifestation of Joy flowing from God’s bounty of delight. He wants us to enjoy what He’s created.

Then Nehemiah directs the people to ultimate Delight, to God Himself.

Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b).

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength

Joy, of the Lord. Full Joy, exuding from the Lord’s nearness, quickening the heart, inviting us deeper. As our hearts are cheered with stable, eternal Joy, unaffected by any worldly circumstance, courage is born. A cheerful, courageous heart gives us strength.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22).

When Joy of eternal quality cheers the heart, a courage and strength of the same type emerges.

How Can The Joy of the Lord Be our Strength?

  • The Joy of the Lord is our strength when we determine to have no joys above Him, no relationship, no possession, no achievement, no security, no delight.
  • The Joy of the Lord is our strength when we recognize all earthy pleasures as coming directly from His heart to us, designed to be enjoyed, not apart from Him, but as part of our enjoyment of Him.
  • The Joy of the Lord is our strength when we recognize that the experience of joy is not an end in itself, but a longing to draw us to God Himself. Joy is an invitation.
  • The Joy of the Lord is our strength when we realize that enjoying God above all earthly delights brings Him glory.

Prayer

Lord, so many things compete for my delight in You. I’m guilty of “requiring” the circumstances of my life to be okay for me to have joy. I’m so sorry. Thank You for showing me that eternal, rock solid joy is found in You at all times. Thank You that as my heart is cheered in You, courage arises. Finding my eternal joy in You, gives me strength for even the most difficult trials. Long time griefs, which seem to have no end, have threatened to discourage and dishearten me. But You are my Joy. When I see this and trust it, my heart is cheered and courage emerges. This gives me strength in these most difficult trials. Thank you dear Lord, my King, my Sovereign, my Joy.

[1] Nehemiah 8:3-6

[2] Nehemiah 8:9

[3] C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, pp. 17–18.

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains