Saved by His Grace

Joy. It’s such a crucial element to one’s walk with the Lord, yet it can be so easily forgotten amid trials and hardships. But, it is extremely essential to how we live our lives, and ultimately, in how we shine our light in the darkness and point others to Christ.

During a recent ministry call, one teaching that truly resonated with me was this: “Live in joy, whatever your situation.”

I put this into practice recently after realizing my focus, my perspective, my outlook on life, was all wrong and had delineated so far from the teachings of Christ. I made the willful decision to have a heart of joy instead of a heart of worry and anxiety.

The result? On a day of the week when I was typically tired and struggling to stay positive, I instead experienced a peaceful, calm and joyful day, not focused on worries and stress. I almost didn’t recognize myself, and I realized that’s the beauty of living in the Lord: the old man truly is getting weaker day by day the more we walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

What are you focusing on? The trial or the victory? The stress or the Lord’s comfort? Fear or the security of the Lord? Worries or the Lord’s promises of provision? Doubts or the firm foundation of the Word?

I’ve come to notice what we focus on is what gets magnified in our lives and in how we respond to things. Focusing on stress? Soon, everything might feel overwhelming. Focusing on how someone did you wrong instead of forgiving them? Soon, your heart might be full of bitterness and distrust.

How are you responding? In offense? In complaint? In anger? Or, are you responding in love, in patience, in compassion?

I don’t know about you, but I have been magnifying the wrong things for far too long and responding more often out of the flesh than by the Spirit. It’s time to magnify the Lord in our lives, to bask in the joy and peace of the Lord. To walk in joy and continual gratitude.

This week, I read Proverbs 17:22 in my daily reading and it resonated even deeper with me. The NKJV reads, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

The AMP version of that verse reads, “A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” The NLT version reads, “A cheerful heart is a good medicine; but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

This verse alone gives the recipe of how we should walk in the Spirit, of how we can experience more peace in our lives.

We should wake up everyday with the heart posture that is in Psalms 118:24: “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

This is why where we focus our attention matters a great deal. If we are reading the Word daily, worshipping and praying often, seeking fellowship regularly, it will be much easier for us to find joy in our lives.

But if our focus is constantly on stress, on problems, on worries, on distractions, on what others think, on things of this world, the Lord will seem far away and our “joy bank” will be depleted. The Lord must be our firm foundation, not our emotions, not the world, not the lies the enemy tries to tell us.

As Scripture says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” And, Colossians 3:2 reads, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

We must put everything into proper perspective. Instead of complaining after a hard day on the job, praise the Lord for the blessing of a solid job, as many are struggling to even get their foot in the door. Instead of getting upset at someone who irritated you, take a step back, realize that that person is going through struggles of their own and needs your prayers and the love of Jesus.

So, what are some steps we can take to experience more joy? Here are some things I have either been implementing, started to implemented or plan to implement, Lord willing:

• Constantly reflect upon and thank the Lord for all your blessings. Keep a gratitude journal to write in every day if that helps you to look back.
• Start every day reading the Bible, even if it’s only three to four chapters in the morning and you read more in the evening. Relish in His Word, allow it to nourish you every day.
• Focus on one verse in Scripture that speaks to where you are that day. Meditate upon it throughout the day. Ask the Lord to show you how you can live that Scripture out.
• Play worship music constantly. When you can, sing along with it, let it into your heart, and praise the Lord, no matter if you think you have a good singing voice or not. What matters is your heart, not your singing talent.
• Fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ often, outside of Sunday service. So much joy can be found when brothers and sisters are gathered in His name, worshipping, praying, doing Bible studies and just fellowshipping together.
• Take slow walks around your neighborhood. Take in the beauty of God’s creation all around you and pray to the Lord as you walk. Thank Him for your blessings, give Him your worries and struggles, repent for your sins and ask for His forgiveness, mercy and strength to help you to live by His righteousness.
• Every time you are about to complain or be negative about something, look for the hidden blessing in it, look for how the situation can grow your faith.
• If a situation or person is making you upset, remember Ephesians 6:12* and pray for that person or situation. Ask the Lord to guide you and show you what that person may be struggling with, and pray for their needs accordingly. Bless them, don’t curse them, no matter how upset you may be. Remember that they are someone that Christ died to save.

*Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Lastly, I wanted to leave you with some other Scriptures on joy:

John 15:11
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Psalms 16:11
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Isaiah 55:12

“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Habakkuk 3:18-19

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. 

Psalms 5:11-12 

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Until next time, Lord willing, shalom to my brothers and sisters in Christ. May you have a blessed rest of your week and a restful weekend.