by Jackie-Lou Valconcha
"The vine is dried up and the fig-tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree – all the trees of the field – are dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away." (NIV) Joel 1:12
Sometimes in life there are times when we lose our joy in the Lord as a result of the beatings we take. This is especially true when we consider the rough and tumble world we live in – With all its crime, disorder, bad things that suddenly occur, with the imperfection of our fallen nature and with how different people react to adversity.
I recently experienced feelings of bitterness about life. I had feelings of hatred, fear, self-pity, distrust, and even thoughts of seeking the release of death. These thoughts expressed a downcast, grumbling and sometimes even snarling demeanor. I felt no drive, and felt that all there was for me was a meaningless life. Thankfully, I didn't stop praying and groaning to God throughout this period, or else before I knew it I could have withdrawn from everyone in my life and even from life in general.
That's when I began to realize, with the leading of the Holy Spirit, that unspeakable joy is a much needed quality in this day and age. No matter how bad a beating you or I may take in this life – God can still heal, deliver and restore us fully if we are willing to work with Him in the healing process. Without God's joy in our lives, things begin to dry up. Nothing is ever fun anymore. Everything starts to become a chore.
One of the things that God can fully restore in us is our joy in Him. Not only can the Lord fully restore the joy we used to have in Him, but He can also increase it to much greater degrees and intensity.
There's nothing better than realizing that God can give us His joy. In fact, He even causes it to flow through us, transforming our personalities. Once God starts to release His joy in us, we can't help but feel it. And once we start feeling it again, it becomes much easier for us to learn to walk in it again, as we walk daily with the Lord.
The joy of the Lord is an incredible source of strength in our daily walk with God – Especially when we have to take on difficult situations. When things look totally hopeless and we feel helpless, we find courage and strength to worship at His feet. We must sacrifice the desire to whine and grumble and instead praise God.
To understand the joy of the Lord, we must go beyond feelings and hold on to faith, which goes far beyond just feeling happy. Happiness is a reaction to good things that happen or to pleasant circumstances (excellence at work, financial stability, healthy relationships, etc.). Joy remains even in unpleasant circumstances because it is not a knee-jerk reaction to what happens to us. Instead, it is a settled condition of the heart – A peaceful rest knowing God is in control and will carry us through. Like a deep-rooted vine that survives in spite of drought, joy endures.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that grows within us as we abide in Christ. Thus, the better we know Him, the more we follow Him. The more we follow Him, the more we become like Him – We will bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Joy also gives us peace. It's comforting to know that joy doesn't depend on our circumstances. It's also comforting to know that no matter how rough the storms of life may get, we will be okay.
The fruit of joy is available to those who abide in Christ. I must say it's very important that each Christian should work very closely with the Holy Spirit, not only letting Him release His joy in our system, but to also keep it at a regular and consistent level. However, the Holy Spirit can only do this if we are open to receive this divine infusion from Him, and are willing to work with Him to keep it properly flowing through us.
When the Spirit has more control over us, we will experience more joy in the Spirit. Dwelling in God's presence helps us become more conscious of God – Of His power, love, nature, etc., and in the process, we are filled with His Spirit.
The joy of the Lord is the conqueror's backbone. It is a characteristic of those that trust God. The joy of the Lord helps guarantee victory over the challenges of life.
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