the joy of the Lord.

Last year, I was worshipping at a Jesus Culture concert and a woman seated behind me leaned over and said the following in my ear: 

“The Lord will restore your joy.”

She had no idea that I was struggling with contentment and joy at that time, and all I could do was thank her for being bold and telling me what she felt the Lord had put on her heart. 

Later in the year when I learned I was pregnant with Phebe, I felt that through the birth of my child, God would restore my joy. What the woman so sweetly told me months prior was finally coming to pass!

We decided not to find out the gender of our child until her birth, so while Phebe was in my womb, I affectionately called her “MJ” for “My Joy.”

What I’ve learned in Phebe’s death is that she was not the source of my joy, God was and is. It’s amazing that even though my emotions indicate sadness, my spirit continues to shout JOYFUL praises unto the Lord. His joy is deep down on the inside of me and my outward circumstances can’t take it away. I won’t let my sadness rule my life, I’ll proclaim His goodness and remain steadfast in my pursuit of Him and the joy of His salvation!

Our joy can be consistent in our suffering because the source of our joy is constant. God is unchanging. He’s the same yesterday, today and forevermore and as long as I keep my focus on Him, in Him my joy will be complete. 

Thank you, Jesus!

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13 NLT

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