Tag Archives: Joy

Happy, happy, Joy, Joy

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Psalm 119 is one of those great Psalms that you could back to over and over again.

There is so much there for us chew over, so much there to think about and pray over.

Today, listen to the words of the Psalmist in verses 1-2

1 Happy are they whose way is blameless, *
who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Happy are they who observe his decrees *
and seek him with all their hearts!

Happy are those walk in the way of the Lord.  Each day of our lives, we have choices to make. Will we follow the will and the way of God, or will we follow our will and our way?

We think that happiness and joy will come from doing what we want and getting our way. We think that if we get what we want and how we want it, we will be happy and content.

So, we get what we want. We seek after what we want. We seek our will and our way first.

And what do we find? Emptiness.  Not joy.  Not happiness.

We we seek to live only for ourselves, we find that we do not truly find life.

Happiness, joy, life, these things only come from seeking after God.

Seeking His will. . . His way. . . . His life.

Happy are those that seek after God.

Today, we will have choices to make. Will we seek after God?  Will we seek after His way and His will? Or will we seek our stuff?  Our wants? Our desires?

Happiness and joy lies in seeking after God.

Seek Him today.  Do what is right.  Live as He wants. Find happiness.

That is His will for you – happiness and joy.

May we find it in seeking after Him.

All Joy

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There are lots of things that we can be happy about.

I tell folks I’m about a lot things.

Time with family.

A good song.

A good jog.

Getting stuff checked of my to do list.

An Ole  Miss victory (ok, I’ve been sad a lot recently 🙂 )

We all have things in life that make us happy, that bring joy to our lives, that are things that just make our life better. Things we look forward to. Things we treasure.

James writes today in his letter (one of my favorite books of the bible, by the way) these words about what should bring joy:

2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

Of all things that bring me joy, I don’t tend to think of them as trials. Well, other than the 2010 Ole Miss football team.  But the things that bring me joy of those moments of life

My children. . . . my family. . . . . my church. . . . the good things. . . .

But James reminds us to be thankful in trials, because these time of trials produce endurance. These moments of trials and troubles bring forth maturity.

It’s old, it’s corny, but it’s true. That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

It’s hard to praise God in a storm. It’s hard to rejoice in a trial. It’s hard to laugh in the midst of tears. It’s hard to find that silver lining in the dark cloud.

But, it’s there. God is there. His strength is there.

He will never leave or forsake His children. He loves you. Today.  He will not leave you. Today.

No matter what you’re going through. No matter how dark the valley.  No matter what is happening.

You.  Will.  Survive.

God is with you. He will strengthen you.

Whatever trial you are going through right now, God will bring you through it.

He will.

He promised.

Count it all joy today. God will bring you through the fire today.  He is true to His word.