Oh Joy

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:9-11

The feeling of great contentment mixed with peace and happiness may be the beginning of understanding what joy is. It is an unshakable anchor in the soul of a man that brings overwhelming delight to the heart. The truth is that most men pursue joy but end up finding happiness instead. We instinctively long for joy, yet without understanding what it is and how it can be obtained, joy is fleeting at best. The reason is that joy starts internally and moves outward while happiness begins externally.

David understood this in a powerful way. His joy was directly related to the quality of his relationship with God. In one of his most famous failings, a consequence was a profound relational separation from God. Sin had created a roadblock within himself and cut off the joy he experienced as a result of being connected to God. A broken man had a simple request, “restore unto me the joy of your salvation.” (Psalm 51:12). David knew joy, and he knew it came from being restored to God. Instead of pursuing the rollercoaster of circumstantial happiness, he went directly to the source.  Be happy, but seek out joy by removing everything that comes between you and God. Find complete joy by remaining in a relationship with Jesus.

DO THIS TODAY: Set aside 10 minutes to deepen your relationship with God today and implement your favorite way to connect with Him.