Joy is God. 100%. Joy is the source of keen pleasure and delight, God is the source of keen pleasure and delight. Joy is something or someone greatly valued or appreciated, God is someone greatly valued and appreciated.
We all struggle, I have been in a desert season for a couple weeks now... struggling with my faith and struggling with being in tune with the Holy Spirit. One thing I love about deserts is that they can't go on forever, eventually they will end. Same with seasons, eventually they will end. Same with night, eventually it will end and become morning.
All throughout the Bible joy and morning have been mentioned together, "Joy comes in the morning" Psalm 30:5. When we struggle we are in the dark, in the night... we shouldn't fear though, the morning is on it's way. A bright, beautiful, breath taking array of colors that make up a sunrise is coming. Light is coming, Jesus is coming.
Each sunrise is a reminder that Jesus brings us out of darkness and fills our lives with His glorious light.
I am so thankful for a faithful God, God always finishes what He has started... He has started us, He will finish us. He is so faithful and absolutely head over heels loves us. He wants nothing but to bless us and see us happy and see us love and grow and prosper... He made us 100% for His pleasure. We are His beloved and He is ours. Whenever we are feeling disconnected or like we are in a rut, we must remember that God is there...always. He will deliver us, restore us, save us, and love us. Our God loves to rescue, He loves it! When we are emptied it is only to be filled again, when we are filled we will overflow with His strength and joy, because He rescued us. When we are weak it truly gives God the opportunity to show His strength, His power, and His glory... and it is a humbling reminder that we can't do anything on our own, we need Him. 100%. All the time.
"Be joyful ALWAYS; pray CONTINUALLY; give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
What an amazing and convicting verse. We should be joyful always, why? Because no matter what happens we have eternal life with Jesus Christ and God our Father. Simple as that, there are many more things to always be joyful about but that is the main one. Pray continually...so great! If we pray and surrender everything to God we wouldn't worry about anything and when we don't worry or stress we are full of joy. Knowing that God is in control of everything and that whatever happens is apart of His will, how could we not be full of joy and emptied of stress? Give thanks in all circumstances...wow, that is hard to do. No matter what we must thank the Lord for everything, because ultimately it is 100% apart of His plan and He knows what is going to make you better or help you grow or deepen your relationship with Him and others... everything truly happens for a reason, God's reason. I am full of joy when I think about the promises He has granted us (Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Romans 8:28, etc.) and I can't help but to be filled with joy. I would much rather have the Creator of the entire universe be in control of my life than me... He obviously knows more than me and has a better grasp on good than I do... I am a sinner! He is Holy... He obviously knows what is best. Know that joy is always available and should always be overflowing from you, because no matter what - God is in control and He loves you more than you will ever fully comprehend.
When morning dawns and evening fades You call forth songs of joy.
Psalm 65:8
I will sing of Your strength in the morning,
I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 59:16
The promises of God are more than a sunrise after nighfall.
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There maybe pain in the night but joy comes in the morning
How amazing is that chorus to a song called Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture... no matter what God stays the same, we shouldn't be afraid. There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning. God is constant and our sustainer through every season, desert-fire-battle-harvest... God is God, God is love, God is faithful... all the time.
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