Jesus tells us, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” I pray that the Joy of Jesus Christ would be in me and that my joy will be made complete! I know that is your desire as well.
But here is the tension:
If it is God’s desire that Joy would be “made complete” in our lives, why do so many people live without Joy? I have experienced times where there is not much joy in my own life. During those times it feels like I am numb, it is hard to laugh, it is hard to be motivated, and there is definitely no inspiration. Can you relate?
Yesterday, at Impact Church, we heard the story of Joshua’s “quest for joy.” Three months ago Joshua did not have much joy in his life. From my perspective his lack of joy did not make much sense. God has done great things for him. Joshua was Bi-polar and God delivered him from that. He was actively and openly gay for 10 years and God saved him from that lifestyle. If there was anyone that should have joy it was Joshua. However, his life did not reflect joy and by God’s grace Joshua set out in March to find joy. He decided that he was going to live on the street in Little Rock. I thought it was a really bad idea and as his pastor I told him so, but Joshua was intent to live on the street.
Although, I thought it was a bad idea for him to live on the street, I did agree that he needed to make a drastic change in his lifestyle. He was simply stuck in a rut (we all know what that feels like). Joshua writes, “But somewhere along the way, I found myself in a rut. There were sins that had persisted year after year after year. Sins that I didn’t know how to rid from my life. No amount of prayer, bible study, service, counseling, accountability, discussion, research, mentoring, or pleading with God would free me. Pride, arrogance, idolatry, lust, apathy, vulgarity, being inhospitable, uncompassionate, loveless. Even though there were occasional moments otherwise, I realized how very much I cared about my comfort more than loving and serving other people. I realized how often I placed my desires above God’s infinitely wiser and loving commands.”
Joshua realized an important truth; Joy had not left him but sin had hi-jacked it. Joshua understood that for him to experience God-given joy he was going to have to eliminate the lifestyle pattern (sin) that was robbing his joy. What is robbing your joy? Bad financial decisions, broken relationships, sexual and substance addictions?
Joshua went on the street and God used him in amazing ways. You can read about it at foundrylife.com. He came back to Impact Church three weeks ago and he is a changed man…THERE IS JOY IN HIS LIFE!
I was challenged…What changes do I need to make in my own life to reclaim the joy that God wants me to have? What changes do you need to make? Let me know…
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