The Gift of Joy

By Andrea Merrell

 

 The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV

 

“That woman’s a Christian? You’ve got to be kidding. She comes to work every day looking like she’s been sucking on a lemon."

People’s perception of a Christ-follower differs, but as someone once said, as a child of God we are walking billboards for His kingdom.

How we come across to others is important. What they see in us—who are supposed to be salt and light in a dark, fallen world—should point them to the Lord.

I’ve known many believers who never smile. Never offer a kind or encouraging word. Who are harsh with their children, neighbors, and co-workers. Who act as if they think being happy is a sin.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]” (John 10:10 AMP). In John 15 He said,  I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing” (vs. 11 AMP). He went on to say, “Ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete” (John 16:24 AMP).

God wants His children to be happy. Joyful. Full of life. The salvation He offers us includes the gift of joy—His very own joy in us. “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8 KJV). Throughout the Scriptures He tells us to rejoice. To be glad. To shout for joy. He even tells us that His joy is our strength.

Go ahead. Put a smile on your face and be happy. Show the world how wonderful it is to be a child of the King. 

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.

A World Without Emotion

By Andrea Merrell

Many years ago, I watched a bizarre, sci-fi TV show (it might have been Twilight Zone or something by Alfred Hitchcock) where a crowd of people were all walking in the same direction. No conversation took place, only the shuffling of hundreds of feet. Blank faces and empty eyes spoke of a dreary existence. No joy. No excitement. No hope. No purpose. No emotion whatsoever.

How depressing.

I thought about this scenario one day when thanking the Lord for smiles, laughter, and even tears. How wonderful that God gave us not only a mind and the will to choose, He gave us a variety of emotions so we can experience life to the fullest.

Now, we all know it’s not healthy to be led or ruled by our feelings, but can you even imagine a world devoid of emotion?

Think about a smile. It’s a universal language. I once heard a missionary say that when he reached his mission field, he couldn’t speak the language and found it hard to communicate with the people without an interpreter present. But he quickly learned that a smile can break even the hardest barrier. Psalm 43:5 says, “He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God" (MSG).

Then there’s laughter. What would we do without it? According to the Mayo clinic, laughter not only reduces stress, it can stimulate changes in our body. It enhances the intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates the heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins released by our brain. A good belly-laugh can increase and then decrease our heart rate and blood pressure, stimulate circulation, and aid muscle relaxation. Laughter is also known to relieve pain and improve our immune system. No wonder the Bible says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine” (Proverbs 17:22 NKJV).

And what about tears? Do you remember the last time you had a good cry? Sometimes it’s the best release of tension we can experience. Whether the tears are happy or sad, what a blessing to be able to shed them freely and know that God keeps account of every single one. The psalmist wrote, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT).

The next time you thank God for His abundant blessings, be sure to thank Him for the gift of emotions.

 

 Photo by Dominik Lalic on Unsplash

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash