“These things have I said to you that your joy might be full” John 11:15. A missionary organization once said that he would never send a missionary to the field if he or she did not have a sense of humor.
To laugh at yourself and the world around you and to laugh with others is a mark of maturity. Those who never laugh are usually bitter and critical and hard to live with. The person who can’t laugh at his own mistakes has a hard time forgiving the mistakes of others. We are not talking about silliness but good healthy holy humor. The Lord Jesus wants us to have joy. He had joy. As children of the living God we have all the reason to have inner joy: our sins are forgiven, no more fear of judgment, our Father cares for us, He will never leave us and forsake us, and we have an eternal home waiting when this life is over. We can’t always rejoice over our circumstances but we can rejoice in them. But sometimes we lose that joy. How?
Sin and disobedience. When king David confessed his sins to God, he said:”Restore to me the joy of my salvation.”(Psalms 51:12). He lost his joy and for more than a year he lived a miserable life of despair and gloom. Read Psalms 32. If you have lost your joy in Christ think clearly and see if there maybe unconfessed sin or a bad attitude in your life.
Neglecting the Word of God. Jesus said:”These things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”(John 17:13). The prophet Jeremiah found joy in the Word of God:”Your words were found and I did eat them; and Your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” At the beginning of the day I discipline myself and get alone with my Bible and read it in a systematic way. I ask God to speak to me and He does as I study His Word. No matter how difficult my life sometimes was, God always had a promise, a warning, a truth to believe or a command that gave me joy. Read and obey the Bible if you want increase your joy.
Forgetting to pray. Jesus said:”Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”(John 16:24).We are weak in ourselves and can’t depend on our own strength and thinking. We will soon become miserable and frustrated with people and life. We will fail because we depend on our own flesh for victory. But God’s strength and supply can never run out. Prayer opens for us the treasury of God. “Ask and it shall be given you…You have not because you ask not.” If you have a problem, a burden, a need, take time to pray about it and God’s joy will fill your heart again.Don’t let sin, neglect of the Bible and prayerlessness rob you of your joy. A joyful Christian is a strong Christian: the devil has a harder time tempting a person with joy in his/her heart. A joyful Christian is a witnessing Christian because he has the Biblical Gospel (www.NeedGod.com) in his/her heart and something exciting to share with others, and they can see the difference.
The joyful Christian shares his joy by accepting the burdens of life without complaining; willing to do small tasks that others ignore and when doing big jobs, willing to share the credit. A joyful Christian is a thankful Christian and every hour of every day there is something to be thankful for. Keep your heart clean; spend time in the Word and prayer; look for ways to live for others. And when you do, God’s love and joy will fill your heart.
Compiled by Louis Ackermann
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