Day 16: Adults

Keeping It Joyful

“God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy” (Romans 14:17-18 MSG).

A question that we often ask is, “How do we maintain our joy – particularly in a world that is challenging and brimming with problems?” That question can lead to an extensive array of other questions that reflect our personal situations. The answer to all these questions according to Romans 14:17 is that joy does not come from the world but from God. Sometimes only God can complete our joy as He works in our lives.

Let’s define the kind of joy that we are talking about. Joy is a condition that is generated when we trust that God is in control and He is working everything out for good. Joy is a durable sense of well-being, and it is not generated by conditions or situations of life. Joy is produced by God as He works through circumstances.

Reality can be harsh, and it can make us misplace our joy rapidly. Perhaps that is where you are today. Maybe you feel like you have lost your spark. Maybe you feel you are not where you used to be. Maybe everything seems mundane and unexciting.

God wants us to live a life full of joy. Not only does God want us to live a life full of joy, He wants to help us achieve that kind of life. When God’s children lose their joy, it makes God look bad. Bad-tempered Christians are faulty witnesses. They rarely smile, they are constantly serious, they focus on the dark side, and that makes God look bad!

When you are feeling down and feel your joy slipping away, get in the presence of God and confidently confess that the joy of the Lord is your strength. Pray unceasingly and have confidence in the promise that God can and will perfect all that concerns you. He will fight for you always and will complete your life with joy.

Prayer:
“Forgive us when our hearts are yearning for a joy that we cannot seem to find. Often we cannot see the joy of every blessing that you bestow on us. Complete in us the joy that you want us to show to the world around us.” Amen.