“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.” Psalms 51:1-2 NLT
Do you relate to this?
- You’re a Christian but lately the stresses of life are getting to you more and more.
- You are irritated by even the smallest inconveniences and problems
- You rarely laugh
- You are quick to snap at people
- You flop in bed each night, exhausted
- You have lost your joy in life
It is this last matter that I want to address to you today - that you’ve lost your joy amidst the stress and difficulties that are in your life.
Your Christian experience has been laborious rather than natural and flowing. That, you are straining to make something happen rather than it flowing from your heart. As a result, somewhere along the way, you have lost your joy.
Although not without troubles, the normal Christian life is to be brimming with joy.
“But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10 NLT
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.”
Matthew 13:44 NLT
“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.” John 17:13 NLT
You might ask - “Where does that joy come from?” The fact is: Deeper joy is not found in power, position, or possessions, but rather in relationships.
We tend to get busy with our jobs and status and forget to relate to God in an intimate way.
We don’t relate to God through a religion, but rather through a relationship.
““I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:9-11 NLT
Jesus shares the simple but profound idea that a life of joy and fruitfulness comes by abiding in Him. That is, it is the closeness of the relationship that matters most.
His relationship with His Father was Jesus’ primary source of joy (He even referred to it as His “bread”).
In the same way, our greatest source of joy is a relationship. . . with God.
Jesus’ second greatest source of joy came from giving Himself away for those around Him.
If Jesus’ primary joy was His relationship with His Father, next in line was His relationships with those around Him.
After the disciples returned from doing ministry - the Bible states that Jesus was filled with joy (Luke 10:21).
Hebrews 12:1-2 teaches us how to keep the joy in our lives - it is “by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”
We can never take our eyes off of Christ and must always look forward inspire of the circumstances that surround us.
How Can I Have That Deeper Kind Of Joy In My Life?
1. Decide if you’re satisfied where you are or if you want your saucer full.
There’s a great old song that says, “I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘cause my cup has overflowed.” Do you want to live a life of overflowing joy?
Psalm 51:12 is a prayer that we all need to pray - “Restore to me the joy of my salvation.”
You will never get to that deeper joy unless you decide you’re dissatisfied with where you’re at right now.
2. Recognize that joy increases the closer you get to God.
You cannot be distant from God or preoccupied with other priorities in your life and still expect to enjoy a deeper joy.
Getting closer to God is not about being “religious;” it’s about abiding in the fullness of the joy of the Lord. It’s about receiving the abundant life He wants to give (John 10:10).
3. Search for ways to make those around you happy.
Stop believing the lie that joy will come as you put yourself ahead of others. Joy will come in your life through giving to those around you.
What can you do today that would bring a smile to your spouse’s face? What can you do this week that would cause your kids to say, “Cool!” Put a smile on their faces and there’ll be one on your’s too. Why? Because you’re investing in those important relationships.
4. Reject “instant happiness” temptations that are actually pathetic imitations of Jesus’ deeper joy.
The lure of pornography or becoming a shopaholic includes the promise that such things will make you happy. Watch out for the hook in those lures! Those shallow attempts at happiness are a pale and pathetic substitute for the lasting and deeper joy that Jesus offers.
Are you tired of living with your well dry? Step toward God this morning in the belief that He is the source of deeper joy. Ask Him to saturate your life once again and fill you to overflowing with His Joy. Put your eyes on Jesus and look past your problems and difficulties that you are facing right in life. Draw close to Him. Know that joy is waiting to return and fill you to overflowing.
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