Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 22: JOY”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This verse was a mainstay in our home. My dad would often send us on our day with this verse as a reminder. While I don’t remember every day, this verse still comes to mind.
However, I have to admit, and perhaps you do too. To rejoice EVERY day is tough.
Not every day is easy. Not every day is pleasant. Not every day has good news. Not every day is filled with amazing adventures or interactions.
But yet, the psalmists makes a universal statement that is true about each day:
“This is THE day the LORD has made.”
Which yields the response:
“Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
The very fact we are blessed with another day from the Lord is reason itself to rejoice…to have joy.
Yep…even on a Monday!
But what exactly is joy? What does it mean to rejoice? What are the blessings in having joy each day? This week will unpack some of those questions. (If you haven’t listened to Sunday’s message, do that today as well to gain a wider scope of joy.)
Perhaps we have to start with a definition of joy. Here are three components of joy:
- Joy is an inner condition of contentment, good pleasure and happiness which creates in outward
Joy leads to rejoicing. What is happening on the inside of a person leads to the outward expression…even though what is happening on the outside often feeds the inner condition.
However,
2. Joy is dependent on who the Lord is and what he does rather than on who we are or what is happening around us.
Joy is a constant. The Bible talks of joy as something that exists no matter what the external circumstances. It also connects joy to the words and work of the LORD. When I realize that the Lord is working in and through and around me, it feeds the joy in my heart.
So, we realize too that…
3. Joy is a gift of the Spirit of God
“The fruit of the Spirit is … joy.” (Galatians 5:22)
Nehemiah 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy.
Joy is a gift of God based on the work of God that affects our heart which leads to outward expression.
So since today is a gift of God…it is a day the Lord has made…
We can rejoice and be glad in it…perhaps it’s just taking time to focus first on what God IS doing in your life today…what opportunities he is presenting…what love he is showing…what blessings he is giving…what promises he is keeping…and much more…will give us reason to rejoice!
Apply: Take time to reflect on the above phrases. What reasons do you have today to rejoice?
Prayer: Lord thank you for today. Lead me to use the gift of joy you have given to me to spend the day rejoicing! AMEN.