Joy - Part 3
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4
What's the point in rejoicing? Why should I have to be joyful all the time? What if I don't feel any joy right now?
Scripture doesn't say, you'll have joy waiting for when you feel like being joyful. Or, be joyful when there's a good reason or the perfect opportunity. And it definitely doesn't say, some days you'll have joy and some days you won't.
Joy isn't wearing a new outfit or having a great meal out at a restaurant - that's happiness. Happiness is an emotion that changes with our circumstances. Joy is the deep-seeded pleasure and excitement that comes only from God.
As Christian women, we rejoice because we have a Savior. If nothing else for the rest of our lives happened the way we hoped or planned, it wouldn't change the fact that Jesus Christ died and rose again to cleanse us of our sin. The guarantee of Heaven for the saved is one of the primary ingredients for a woman's joy. Salvation itself, thanks to our blessed Savior, brings unparalleled joy.
We rejoice because we have been given a purpose. The lost stumble through the world trying to find joy and purpose, thinking they'll find them somewhere between work, family, money and entertainment. When they can't, they decide that joy is unattainable so they'll stick with being happy every now and then. When we read through Scripture, though, we learn exactly what God's role for women is and can see examples of women who were and weren't in sync with that plan. There is joy (mixed with a lot of peace) in knowing God is directing our path and showing us exactly who and what we're supposed to be.
There is joy in God's promises, each and every one of the thousands that are recorded in the Bible. The less we believe in those promises, the more we forget that joy is planted inside us. Our God is a true and faithful God, and I honestly can't think of a single time when He hasn't followed through on a promise. The truest joy comes when we focus on those promises and remember what He's done for us.
* In times of fear: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6
* In times of discouragement: I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, Psalm 27:13-14
* In times of temptation: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
* In times of frustration: For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Isaiah 50:7
* In times of anger: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32
* In times of sickness: And ye shall serve the LORD you God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. Exodus 23:25
In the Scriptures are eternal life, truth, promise, and most of all, joy.
What's the point in rejoicing? Why should I have to be joyful all the time? What if I don't feel any joy right now?
Scripture doesn't say, you'll have joy waiting for when you feel like being joyful. Or, be joyful when there's a good reason or the perfect opportunity. And it definitely doesn't say, some days you'll have joy and some days you won't.
Joy isn't wearing a new outfit or having a great meal out at a restaurant - that's happiness. Happiness is an emotion that changes with our circumstances. Joy is the deep-seeded pleasure and excitement that comes only from God.
As Christian women, we rejoice because we have a Savior. If nothing else for the rest of our lives happened the way we hoped or planned, it wouldn't change the fact that Jesus Christ died and rose again to cleanse us of our sin. The guarantee of Heaven for the saved is one of the primary ingredients for a woman's joy. Salvation itself, thanks to our blessed Savior, brings unparalleled joy.
We rejoice because we have been given a purpose. The lost stumble through the world trying to find joy and purpose, thinking they'll find them somewhere between work, family, money and entertainment. When they can't, they decide that joy is unattainable so they'll stick with being happy every now and then. When we read through Scripture, though, we learn exactly what God's role for women is and can see examples of women who were and weren't in sync with that plan. There is joy (mixed with a lot of peace) in knowing God is directing our path and showing us exactly who and what we're supposed to be.
There is joy in God's promises, each and every one of the thousands that are recorded in the Bible. The less we believe in those promises, the more we forget that joy is planted inside us. Our God is a true and faithful God, and I honestly can't think of a single time when He hasn't followed through on a promise. The truest joy comes when we focus on those promises and remember what He's done for us.
* In times of fear: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6
* In times of discouragement: I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, Psalm 27:13-14
* In times of temptation: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
* In times of frustration: For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Isaiah 50:7
* In times of anger: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32
* In times of sickness: And ye shall serve the LORD you God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. Exodus 23:25
In the Scriptures are eternal life, truth, promise, and most of all, joy.
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