Are We Becoming More or Less Joyful?
“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11 NRSV
Series: Cultivating a Heart of Joy
Devotional: 3 of 5
The questions you and I are regularly willing to ask ourselves will profoundly impact the kind of people we become.
Regrettably, the pace at which today's culture is moving makes it incredibly difficult to slow down and intentionally reflect on where we have been and where the trajectory of our lives is heading. Because of the hurried pace of our lives, the questions that often shape our day-to-day decisions sound something like this. What goals, both personally and professionally, do I want to accomplish? What possessions am I willing to put in the necessary sacrifice to accumulate over the next few years? And what activities and experiences will bring happiness to my family and me in our current season of life?
These questions should be considered on some level, but perhaps the question we need to keep at the forefront of our minds is Who am I becoming? More specifically, am I becoming more or less like the character of Christ? Am I becoming more loving, joyful, peaceful, and so on?
Genuine joy, the kind of joy that we see across the vast landscape of Scripture, can only be cultivated and sustained by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
With this truth as our foundation, what practices from the way of Jesus can usher us into a posture of surrender where the Holy Spirit can cultivate joy in our hearts. Here are three to consider:
#1 - Studying God's Word: Jeremiah 15:16 says, "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts." In today's instant gratification culture, we have been conditioned by the world around us to consume information at an incredible rate. But in order for joy to take root in our hearts, we must invest the time to sit with God's Word, giving the Holy Spirit the necessary space to move the Words of Life from our minds down into our hearts.
#2 - Sabbath: Practicing the Sabbath invites us to stop and rest from the God-given work we have been called to the other six days of the week. In this place of rest, our heart begins to come alive, making room to delight in the goodness of God. Indeed, the Sabbath is a 24-hour window in time carved out of every week where the child-like joy locked away in our hearts can freely come out to play.
#3 - Worship: The regular practice of coming together as the people of God to sing for joy under the protection of His refuge has a way of fertilizing the seeds of joy that have been planted in our hearts (See Psalms 5:11). In His presence we sing praises to His name, respond to the movement of the Spirit with prayer and thanksgiving, and collectively testify to the Lord and each other that there is no other God worthy of our praise and honor.
Today, take a few minutes in the presence of Jesus to reflect on the trajectory of your life. How would those closest to you describe the condition of your heart? As the years go by, are you becoming more or less joyful?
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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