- Aug 12, 2011
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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.
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.