Giving Away the Joy of the Lord
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 NRSV
Series: Cultivating a Heart of Joy
Devotional: 4 of 5
So far in this series, we have explored what it looks like to cultivate a heart of joy. On our journey, we have attempted to distinguish between the temporary happiness that the world offers and the genuine joy that the Bible speaks of. Additionally, we have considered how an intimate, loving relationship with Jesus leads to obedience, producing a heart bursting with joy in us. And finally, we have observed how practices like Sabbath, worship, and studying God's word create space for the Holy Spirit to produce in us a joy that is eternal.
However, if we are not careful, we can unintentionally fall into the trap of thinking that becoming a person known for having a heart overflowing with joy is an individual experience. Make no mistake, the world around us is hyper-focused on forming you and me into individuals who pursue our own personal preferences at all costs, even to the demise of our communities at large. On the contrary, spiritual formation into the likeness of Christ happens in community.
Think of your heart like a container. As time goes by, through the process of spiritual formation, God continues to fill your heart with genuine joy; eventually, the joy of the Lord bubbling up inside you begins to spill over onto the lives of those around you.
In order for your joy to be complete, it must be freely given away to others.
Philippians 4:4 instructs us to "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." To rejoice is to give away our joy in the Lord to others. But what does rejoicing practically look like in daily life?
From a posture of surrender, the joy of the Lord naturally flows outward from your heart and mine. As Jesus' followers, we are called to deny ourselves daily, take up our cross, and follow Him wherever He leads (See Matthew 16:24). Following in Jesus' footsteps, the desire of our hearts should be to build others up in both word and deed.
Our words should breathe life and hope into the darkest corners of the world around us. The words that flow from our lips are to be pleasant like a honeycomb that brings sweetness to the soul and health to the body (See Proverbs 16:24).
In Matthew 23:11, Jesus said, "The greatest among you will be your servant." And so our actions should be that of a humble servant willing to lay down our lives for others.
As you go, take a minute to reflect on these words from Mother Teresa. "Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls."
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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