This morning I woke up with a well-spring of joy bubbling out of my heart It’s presence confused and astonished me. How could this be? This wasn’t the condition of my sad, sorry, heart last night…. I had gone to bed weighed down with the cares of this world and several different prayer requests on my lips. My heart was anxious about how God was going to answer these and joy was definitely not the over-riding emotion that I was feeling!
So , why did joy find a place in my heart this morning?
My circumstances hadn’t changed. I still had the same prayer requests . However, this morning I had joy in my heart, and a peace that passes all understanding.
I know I didn’t ‘well it up inside me’ by positive ‘self talk’ or changing my surroundings.
No; it came from SOMEONE else and SOMEWHERE else.
I believe that ‘JOY’ is a gift of God.
It is something that He gives to His children that is not dependent on their personal circumstances, but is a manifestation of HIS presence and work in their lives.
Some of the most ‘joyful’ people I have ever met, or read about , were living in deep trials of afflictions. If joy was reliant purely on our circumstances, health or status, there is no way these precious people could experience joy.
No, joy is a GIFT.
A PRECIOUS gift from God.
Dear One,
What ever you are facing today I believe God CAN and WILL (in His time) give you joy, regardless of your circumstances.
Psalms 30:1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and
hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto
thee, and thou hast healed me. 30:3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul
from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the
pit. 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the
remembrance of his holiness. 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in
his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the
morning. 30:6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 30:7
LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst
hide thy face, and I was troubled. 30:8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto
the LORD I made supplication. 30:9 What profit is there in my blood, when
I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy
truth? 30:10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my
helper. 30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast
put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 30:12 To the end that
my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will
give thanks unto thee for ever.
Cry out to the One who loves you the most!
Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have
loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I
drawn thee.
