All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Joy to the World! Are you joyful?
One of the most used words in the bible is the word Joy. Joy is listed as part of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. We are to be the most joyous people in the world, so why are so many of us not joyful?
In the bible we are commanded to be joyful. Count it all joy the word of God tells us, but what is the problem with that imperative? You are hurting, how can you possibly be joyful, you ask, is there a button I am to push and make myself joyful? We often even get angry when people give us the biblical command to count it all joy and we think they are not sensitive, but are they being insensitive or are we being blinded by pain etc…?
We tend to think happiness and joy is something that happens to us, that is passive, but not something that we have control over. But can we create joy and happiness by an act of the will or by abiding in Christ? Is joy an automatic reaction to abiding in Him, to being filled with the Spirit?
Scripture gives us a command to count it all joy; it’s an imperative, it’s an obligation. It is our duty to be joyful and the failure to be a joyful Christians is a manifestation of the flesh. Don’t misunderstand me, we all experience sorrow and grief. Jesus was called a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief. It is better to go to the house of morning than to spend our time with fools and blessed/happy are those who mourn scripture tells us, but how can a person be in mourning and still be joyful?
How can Jesus be a man of sorrow and be the most joyful human to have ever walked the earth?
How can we experience feelings of mourning (which are not sinful) and have the biblical dimension of joy, even when we are experiencing mourning and grief and in the midst of our sorrow?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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David,
Is there joy outside of Christ? Christ is my Joy, joy knowing that all things come through Him. Everything I have that is worth having comes through Christ. Christ is the Peace of living on this earth.
I don't understand how someone can live without Him. How do they function? Not just in eternity, but here and now? I can't understand it.
Merry Christmas and all the blessings it brings...
Rita
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Amen Rita,
Is there joy outside of Christ? Only passing and a temporary one, but in our Christ as you well know and testify to it, we can always Rejoice.
Like you, I can’t understand how the world can live without him.
Merry Christmas and blessings to you my friend and sister.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Sometimes some of us may forget how to express our joy.
In Isaiah 43:7 God said, “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” We were created to glorify God. Everything we do ought to glorify God. Is it possible that those who have forgotten how to show their joy have even more sorrow because others have forgotten how to show their comfort? We make people feel "different" and "ashamed" for being sorrowful in some way, especially by emphasizing how joyful they should "always" be.
"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." (John 16:20)
I really don't see a message in the Bible that says we will always have joy even in grief. I do see these words of Jesus which say Grief will turn to Joy. So it is possible not to have joy all the time but to get it back.
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Amanda,
>>Is it possible that those who have forgotten how to show their joy have even more sorrow because others have forgotten how to show their comfort?
I am sure that all those who experience or notice the lack of comfort or compassion from their fellow humans, especially from those in the body of Christ, would experience more sorrow, but ultimately our relationship with God and our responses to All the things that come our way are very much our responsibility. We are accountable for how we respond to each situation. We can respond the mature way or the immature way. We can respond hastily or patiently. We can respond the Godly way or the fleshly way etc etc...
>>We make people feel "different" and "ashamed" for being sorrowful in some way, especially by emphasizing how joyful they should "always" be.
As we all know there are times of sorrow, but even through those times, those who abide in Christ are joyful in Christ. There are people who are always sorrowful and they should not be made to think that is normal or that that is how life should be. We should cry with those that cry and rejoice with those that rejoice. However there are those who cry and can still comfort others and there are those who cry and have not mature in this specific area, not that they have not mature in other areas of life, but in the area of the Christian's joy.
"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." (John 16:20)
John 16:22 - "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (NIV)
….and no one will take away your joy – Hallelujah :)
>>I really don't see a message in the Bible that says we will always have joy even in grief. I do see these words of Jesus which say Grief will turn to Joy. So it is possible not to have joy all the time but to get it back.
God commands us to count it all joy. To rejoice and Paul says it again, to rejoice ALWAYS.
Grief will turn to joy when we are born again and since I never stop being born again, I am always to rejoice. In John 16 Jesus is telling the disciples that He will soon die, but Jesus is not going to die anymore in the flesh. Do I ever fail the command to count it all joy, no way, not me hahaha liar liar, of course I do, but by God’s grace my joy returns to me quickly as I abide in Christ’s words and so can your joy return to you as you abide and remain in His presence.
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Very nice words... Yesterday, one of the members of my former church family lost her little 5 year old in a housefire, and her husband and other 4 year old daughter both suffered severe burns and are in critical condition. She teaches middle school and her other children were in school. One of her oldest daughters is the same age as my son. We often shared the same pew and fellowshipped together in the past at several church functions. How could God command someone like my friend to have joy at such a time and to rejoice? I pray her grief will turn to joy again...that may take some time...and I pray God will help her husband and other daughter heal from their injuries. I just can't imagine what she must be going through this morning, Can you?
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Amanda,
That is a horrible ordeal for anyone to go through; my heart and prayers go out to them.
>>How could God command someone like my friend to have joy at such a time and to rejoice?
God commands all of humanity to Repent and believe in him. Does all of humanity obey? Of course not, because is not an efficacious command, it's an outward command giving us insight into many things, for one, the Holiness of God, as well as his desire that all be saved. He has giving us liberties and among those liberties is our ability to rebel and disobey. God's commands are good and perfect, so God commanding us to rejoice in difficult times is not a bad thing, especially when we can through his enablement.
He has called his born again children to: "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS; again I will say rejoice!" and to count it all Joy. He has also giving us the ABILITY to mature in all areas and aspects of our lives. Learning to rejoice always is one of those areas where we can mature to a place where we do. Just as we can mature to a place where we pray unceasingly.
Apart from God we can do nothing... Apart from the vine we are without fruit. JOY is a fruit of the Spirit. Have other families face the same painful circumstances this family is facing? Yes, of course others have. Have some been able to bring God glory through their painful experience and even blessed those around them by their response in light of such painful experience, Yes. Does everyone have to go through some sort of grieving process, of course. The grieving process will be different for each adult and that difference will MAINLY BE DETERMINE BY THEIR MATURITY/RELATIONSHIP IN CHRIST.
Can people who have gone through such tragic situations rejoice and bring God much Glory, of course. Will they grieve, yes they will, can they rejoice through it all, yes they can.
I am not speaking as an outsider looking in. My life has been very painful and even now the securities that we all long for in this side of heaven are not securities I have, but I am a very joyful person through it all. As I abide in Christ, He establishes my heart in eternal truths that guard it and allow me to rejoice through it all. Our God is good and He will never command us to do something that we are incapable of doing.
We must also be mindful that there is a difference between grieving and being overcome with grief. It’s important to cry out to God, so He can strengthen us and comfort us, so we can in turn comfort others.
Blessings
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Well, they unhooked my friend's four year old from life support and she is gone, too. My friend's husband doesn't know the two girls have died. They are not going to tell him right now. He is suffering from smoke inhalation and burns. My friend is in shock. So you can help them by prayers. The family name is the Chestnuts.
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I will keep them in my prayers sis.
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Continuing to pray for this family. Please keep us updated when possible.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Here is a link to today's update according to the local news here.
http://www.lex18.com/news/condition-of-father-of-girls-killed-in-ha...
Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.
I will keep all of you posted and appreciate your caring.
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Her husband is doing better. He is still on the ventilator but taking some of his own breaths too now and the ventilator settings are being weaned down. He’s had one skin graft surgery and it is successfully taking, and he’s more responsive and not trying to pull out tubes and IVs anymore, but he still doesn’t know that his daughters have died and he is still listed in critical condition.
There was a candlelight vigil to honor the girls last night:
http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Vigil_honors_two_girls_killed_in...
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