Joy for the Journey

From before creation, God desired that His children not only possess great joy, but also experience it, and ensured that we would carry it with us always.  He made joy a characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit so that, with Him, it would reside within us and remain protected from the schemes of the devil who desires to kill, steal, and destroy.  The enemy desires to displace our joy by shifting our focus from the sovereignty and love of God to our own distresses and uncomfortable situations.  However, the delight of joy goes beyond our circumstances.   The key to living it out is keeping our hearts and minds fixed on Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  The sovereignty and perfection of God fuels our joy and provides a Savior to invite our fellowship with Him for all eternity.

The presence of God produces true joy, regardless of our circumstances.  Paul, as an example, had joy in prison, while awaiting news of execution.  The Spirit dwells in all who have accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, yet many believers do not allow His manifestation in their lives. They continue to push away the still small voice of the Spirit and neglect to allow His work to become evident.

With a willingness to live for Christ, we learn to not only accept but also embrace the good... and the trials that He allows.  The Spirit helps us in our knowledge that each trial moves us toward completion so that we will not lack any good thing that He desires for us (James 1:2-4).  Then, we have reached a monumental goal.  It is here that we can experience deep, abiding joy.

From Finding Joy in the Journey: Savoring the Fruit of the Spirit on sale now at www.strengthenedbytheword.com