Why Are You So Joyful?
Have you ever met someone that radiated an infectious joy, drawing you in with their positivity, happiness and contentment? I know a few people like this, and it’s clear to me that their joy comes from within. Something inside them shines out to impact others.
And that something is Jesus.
Full contentment can only be found through Jesus Christ; therefore, He is our source of joy. Joy rooted in a relationship with Christ is lasting and sustaining. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength,” and Paul writes in Philippians 4:13 that “we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.” When we are rooted in Christ, we have supernatural strength because we’ve made Him the center of our life and we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. That strength allows us to reflect on the characteristics of Jesus and have a positive influence on others. There have been many times in my life where people have asked me where I find the peace they see in me when they know I am going through trials, particularly trials involving the health of my daughter.
True joy comes from our gratitude and love for our Savior who rescued us from sin and death. When we trust God and God’s plan for our lives and draw on the power of the Holy Spirit within us to take us through our difficult times and teach us something about God and ourselves through the trial, only then can we truly experience life the way God intended - full of joy, contentment, and peace. Fill your tank with the Holy Spirit by reading the Word of God, applying it to your life, and growing your personal relationship with Christ. Spend time praying that the Lord would fill you with joy and that His joy will be your source of strength, overflowing to those around you.
Reflect on what type of person you are: Do people enjoy interacting with you and leave refreshed from being with you, or do they leave from a discussion with you drained and worn out? The good news is that you can choose today to ask the Holy Spirit to help you reflect the joy of Jesus Christ to others that you encounter, and perhaps even draw them into a personal relationship with the Lord. If we are truly Christians, adopted as His children with the promise of eternal life with the Lord, and we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us right now, why shouldn’t our joy be pouring out for others to see!!!
Here are a few of my favorite verses that point to the tremendous joy that comes from the Lord. Read these and reflect on what Jesus has done for us as Christians, and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with joy this Christmas Season:
Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.”
Psalm 71:23 “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You— I whom you have redeemed.”
Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Isaiah 61:10 “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness.”
Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
As we enter the Christmas season, let the contentment you have because of Christ’s blessings and what He has done for you radiate from within you and out to the people you interact with. The love, joy and peace of Christ can substantially impact others so let His light shine through you this Christmas season!