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The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength

VintageDon

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Today I was reading Luke, and got to 22:45, and a particular phrase lept out at me: Jesus had returned from prayer, and found the disciples "exhausted from sorrow". Surely, this was a trying time for all of them, and like anyone, worry and sorrow wear down our spirits until we're simply exhausted. I have been there, and I know you have, too. This has been an especially trying week for me, and I've felt some situations sap my spirit and I've become exhausted several times.

The thing is, when we're full of negative emotions, they can cloud our thinking, our opinions of others, and even color our own perceptions of our situations and conditions. They taint situations before we can even have a chance to experience them.

Thinking on it more, I realized how important it is for us to guard our God-given joy. You'll find a number of Scriptures on joy, and as I started reading them, I realized just how critical it is for us to resist those negative feelings. Proverbs 15:15 is a wonderful example: "All the days of the afflicted are bad, But a cheerful heart has a continual feast." The word here for afflicted is ‛ânîy, which means depressed. A simple comparison, but so true.

The joy of the Holy Spirit, is a bit different from worldly joy in that it will rise up in us even in times of adversity. Worldy joy is dependant on favorable weather and conditions and is quite fickle. However, we do need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. As I am fond of saying, the Holy Spirit was sent as our Helper, not our Doer, and the very concept of a helper implies that there is some action on our part to help WITH.

We're to praise the Lord even when we would much rather wallow in self-pity and depression (how often we feed these things!), for we're told "Do not be grieved, for the joy of of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). No wonder Satan tries so hard to steal our joy! It can directly affect our relationship and even our prayer, and it becomes our very strength.

Some additional readings (emphasis added by me):
(Psa 34:1) I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
(Joh 16:22) "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
 
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Sieben

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I am mourning right now and I find simply just breaking down will give it's own benefits. I don't believe in comforting my self. Sometimes just realizing you have nothing, but realize the Lord is righteous is all you need. Personally I believe my self to be the worst person, and so the Lord will bless me after some time. Although I don't ask for it often, just ask the Lord to stir his Spirit in you. That gives reassurance in ones faith that you are on the right tract, so you get relief.
 
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Inkachu

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Well put, my dear. I was watching Joyce recently, and she said something that struck me: A Christian's joy should be the same whether they're going through something wonderful or something tragic. Challenging, but true. Doesn't mean we won't experience pain, sorrow, loss, grief, frustration; but those things shouldn't be able to affect our joy in Christ. Deep stuff, I know, I'll hush now lol.
 
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dabro

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Good deal. I was just wondering is this joy I feel before I read this and I understand the peace that go's beyond my own understanding. I have felt it before. At one time in my life God was bursting out of everything then came the backsliding. But I'm of Good cheer. I have over come many things from my past I couldn't.
 
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Reneemo4

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Don, great post....lots of valuable stuff to think about...it is SO easy for us to wallow in our negative stuff. I've had so much negativity lately and finding that when I asked the Lord to lift me up and bless me, and He did, has really turned my attitude around. Gives me like a little kick in the behind as a reminder that the negative stuff I hold on to is MINE and that God is sitting back waiting for me to remember all HIS joy that I could be experiencing!

And Vicky, don't you hush!! I totally love what you said (that Joyce said, lol) about having the same amount of joy no matter where we're at. It's such a valid idea and something I really need to work on. :)
 
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