FULL OF JOY!

Isaiah 55:12-13 AMPC

For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. [13] Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name of renown, for an everlasting sign [of jubilant exaltation] and memorial [to His praise], which shall not be cut off.

 

There are people so full of joy that it feels like they bounce off the walls. Merriam-Webster defines joy as the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune—or the prospect of possessing what one desires—as well as the expression or exhibition of this emotional delight and gladness.

We live in a world constantly offering ways to achieve happiness by improving our circumstances. However, such happiness is fleeting. The "joy" the world offers is fickle and limited compared to the joy found in the Lord. For unbelievers, joy is often temporary, fleeting, and dependent on situations, people, places, or objects. When things are going well, there is happiness; when things are difficult, joy vanishes. Job's friends wisely noted in Job 20:5: "The joy of the godless is but for a moment." How true! Nothing in life brings lasting joy—only fleeting happiness. In contrast, Isaiah 51:11 assures us that "everlasting joy will be upon the heads of believers."*

Throughout life, we all experience seasons where we swing between joy, despair, fear, anxiety, and happiness. Yet, above all, we must learn to anchor ourselves more in the Lord than in the events happening around us.

I’ve discovered that joy is a prominent feature of worship and praise. Wherever we know, love, and worship God, His love instills joy into our hearts—a joy that only He can give  says Psalm 16:11. In 2 Chronicles 30:26, we see that when Hezekiah and the people rededicated and renewed their commitment to God, joy was reignited in their hearts. We too can experience this same joy when we dedicate ourselves fully to Jesus.

Joy is a gift from God and one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the hearts of believers  according to Galatians 5:22. It is an integral part of the Kingdom of God and is present wherever believers are as seen in Romans 14:17.

As the author of all good things, God gives joy as a divine quality. When someone becomes a Christian and is united with God through faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit imparts these qualities to them.

Psalm 126:1-2 beautifully describes the joy of the Israelites upon their return from captivity: a dream fulfilled that produced shouts of laughter and overwhelming joy. Their deliverance was so profound that even the heathens acknowledged it. Their answered prayer was unexpected, magnifying their joy. Truly, there can be no lasting joy apart from the Lord.

God is the ultimate giver of joy, and He desires for us to be joyful. Joy does not originate from within us, nor is it derived from material things. If you want to pursue joy, then pursue God. The closer you get to Him, the more joyful you become, for "the joy of the Lord is our strength" declares Nehemiah 8:10, and "the prospect of the righteous is joy" says Proverbs 10:28. Isaiah 12:6 tells us to "shout for joy", even in affliction. Psalm 27:6 says we will make our sacrifices with joy because of God’s great love as Paul emphasizes in Philemon 1:7.

Isaiah 35:10 promises "everlasting joy crowns our heads," while Psalm 30:5 reminds us that "joy comes in the morning." Even when we go out weeping, carrying seeds to sow, we will return with shouts of joy, carrying our reward according to Psalm 126:6.

When tempted to complain or feel discouraged, remember the countless blessings in your life and allow joy to overflow in you, as Romans 15:13 encourages. Let your hope in God continue to fill you with joy, just as Proverbs 10:28 declares.

Live, love, and go in joy! Choose joy always, and let it fill your life abundantly.

PRAYER: Father, may the fruit of joy within be ever growing and never leaving in Jesus’ name, amen.

Manna is the name of the thin flake, derived from the Israelites’ question in Hebrew, “What is it?” which they discovered as you would too. 

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