MMS – Joy

For the month of October, I am joining many bloggers in a challenge to write every single day for 31 days. I learned about this challenge through another challenge I participate in most weeks. The “Five Minute Friday” challenge is going to expand to last the whole month! Each entry, will be five minutes unedited of writing on a particular theme – found on Kate’s blog.Today’s theme is “joy.”

Joy is not an emotion.

It is a state of being.

Joy Versus Happy

We can sometimes confuse joy and being happy. These are two different concepts and experiences. Here’s why:

When we are happy, it is totally based upon our circumstances. If everything is well, if I have accomplished much, I may ‘feel’ happy. But, it’s temporary.

It has nothing to do with what’s going on behind the scenes on the scale of eternity.

When we have joy, it has nothing to do with us or our circumstances.

The Truth About Joy

Remember who the Author of joy is. Joy is a spiritual thing.

To have authentic joy, it has to be brought back to our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

It comes from a deepening trust in our Savior and knowing His truth – more than simply head knowledge. It has to extend beyond a surface-level-knowledge. It has to be brought on by our Savior alone.

This kind of joy is anything, but temporary. It is eternal. It is not based upon us, but upon our Savior and experiencing Him in our daily lives. More than any other relationship, we have to experience Him. When I feel empty, I know (all too aware of the pangs of emptiness) it’s from not being with my Savior. To just sit with Him. Let Him pour into me. Some times, it’s because I just need more of Him – or I am in a season. Continuing to seek Him, is a big one for me.

Continuous Walk

Joy comes from a continuous walk with our Savior Jesus. Walk implies, we are moving somewhere. When we go for a walk to a specific destination, we would never try to trek backwards. But at times, we lose our focus. We lose the thought that we are headed to a specific destination – and get lost along the way.

We need to remember our Author of joy daily, and welcome the pursuit He wants to have with each of us. He has much more peace and joy in store for us, then this world could ever promise (and this world cannot deliver it – just promise it!).

Authentic Joy

God’s joy is authentic. When we see others who appear to be happy, we have to consider that some act happy – but in actuality they are not. I know the same is true of me. I have days where I am exuberant with joy. Then, there are days where I wear a mask. Counterfeit happiness.

We need seek out joy, through our relationship with God in Jesus Christ!

Further Reading: John 16:33; Galatians 5:22; Hebrews 12:1-2.