TRANSFORMED FOR JOY
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 (NLT)
For years, I struggled to follow God fully because it seemed like there wasn’t a lot of joy in following Him. I understood at an early age that God was holy, powerful, wise and good. One of the last things for me to truly grasp, and the thing I still must remind myself, is that at the center of God is joy. The reason God is joyful is He knows who He is. He doesn’t want us to worship Him because He is insecure. Quite the opposite, He knows how fleeting the joys of the world are. He knows there are many counterfeit joys that promise a lot, but all fail to deliver the lasting joy they promise.
The problem is the joys of this world look so real. One of the things I’ve noticed in a lot of TV shows is that often, everyone believes they have a genuine or real product. However, when the expert is brought in, they know what to look for to determine if it’s real or counterfeit. They aren’t trying to be mean; instead, they are being honest. Jesus is the expert on joy. He’s the most joyful being in the universe.
I have heard it said that God isn’t a killjoy. Instead, He’s a keep joy. God knows that all the other joys that look real are simply counterfeits, but His joy isn’t. This is why Paul prays above for us to be completely filled with the joy and peace of the Spirit. God wants to fill us to the very top with joy. I love how Tim Keller says it: There is a joy available that the deepest grief cannot put out. No circumstance or person can take away the joy God gives. As sons and daughters of God, we are called to reflect the life of Jesus to others. Part of that life is the joy of Jesus. You have been transformed for joy. You have been transformed to know God and delight in Him. When you make yourself available to God, the Spirit will fill you with new life, and part of that is His joy!
APPLICATION: God is a keep joy, so be faithful to Him today in everything you do and watch your joy begin to increase
PRAYER: Spend time reflecting on the joy you have in Jesus. Ask the Spirit of God to fill you with a joy that comes from Him alone. Ask God to give you an everlasting joy that isn’t touched by the pains or the hardships of this world. If you know Jesus, then you know joy!
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?