Joy - Persistent and Abundant
I have loved this song ever since the first time I heard it, so of course I thought of it today while writing this post for you. It is an awesome worship song about JOY, so give it a listen!
Joy and Endurance go Hand in Hand
I'm going to share several verses from Scripture with you today, and the common string between them is not only that our experiencing joy is a significant priority for God, but also that our experience of joy is deeply connected to our ability to endure troubling times.
A prime example of this is Philippians 4:4 , one of several times that Paul urges his audience in Philippi to rejoice in all circumstances even as he sits in prison simply for sharing Christ's love. "Rejoice in the Lord always," Paul writes, "I will say it again: Rejoice!" This is a man who is sitting in an ancient Roman prison, filled with joy to the point of shouting! Paul points us to joy again in his letter to the Romans, urging them to be "joyful in hope, patient in affliction," and, "faithful in prayer." Hope, patience, and prayerful faith are key ingredients to a joyful life because they help us stay strong in the face of life's innumerable and sometimes seemingly insurmountable challenges.
One last verse I want to share with you all in our first digi-devotional on Joy is from James! If you have attended HQ's Youth Group anytime over the past year, you are likely to have heard a lesson from the book of James, and that is because it is an awesome book! The verses I want to point you towards are James 1:2-3, wherein James tells us to "consider it pure joy" whenever we face challenges, no matter how small or large, because the challenges we face help us to grow stronger. This is a simple change of attitude! Biblical joy is achieved by turning your attention away from your self and upward towards God and His plans. Doing so allows us to be filled with happiness and excitement no matter what is happening in our earthly circumstances because we are concerned more with heavenly things.
I pray that you will be joyful! Even in these crazy times, seek joy and you will find it. Take that joy and use it to uplift others in love!
Much love,
Ryan