Give me Joy…
The very first scripture that I memorized over a decade ago was Nehemiah 8:10…
The Joy of the Lord is my strength.
It was simple and easy to remember, hence I embraced it.
I wrote it on a note card and taped it to my bathroom mirror. Reciting it often, over and over.
Years later, the scripture still brings power and truth when I find myself reciting it.
At the ripe old age of 26, after having my first child, I began to have severe bouts of anxiety and depression.
It was so bad that I sought several physicians to heal me.
My poor husband probably realized he didn’t quite sign up for this when we were 23 years old and married.
Thank goodness for good insurance back then!
The doctors put me on medication, gave me coping mechanisms to help when anxiety and fear would arise… and told me to check back in a month or so.
During those weeks of darkness, carrying a newborn in a carrier at all times, I found myself going to Lem’s grandmothers house to visit often.
Just walking through her door, in that small one bedroom house, brought peace to my bones.
I would sit the baby carrier down, and just fall into a chair and take a deep breath.
Granny Hill had a way of making me feel like it was all going to be alright.
She greeted me each time with the biggest smile and hearty laugh when I stepped through the door.
She was always so happy to see me.
At this point in my life, I really had very little to zero knowledge of scripture. However, looking back, I see that she literally lived out this verse…
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25
Granny Hill had JOY.
Joy so infectious that it affected everyone around her.
Her life was far from easy or perfect, but JOY was so evident. It spilled out onto all of us.
She lived a very long life.
Even in the nursing home, in her final days, we would visit her and she always had a smile on her face. Always.
Never once did she ask why we had not been to see her, even after weeks of not visiting.
She was just so content to see us. Every single time.
Her face would shine with JOY when we brought the babies to see her.
Years later, when I find myself lacking joy, I think back to Granny Hill.
Often I ask myself, “What would Granny do in this situation?”
Joy is not circumstantial
Joy is a deep abiding trust in Jesus.
Joy sets us apart in a world lacking it.
Joy is like medicine to the body.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
Have you ever been around people that do not have joy? People who constantly complain, grumble, and slander others?
Notice how you feel when you are in their company.
Deflated. Without energy. Sucked dry.
However, being around people with joy does just the opposite.
We leave feeling INFLATED with peace, JOY, and strength.
Joy has the ability to literally make us feel better.
How do we get this priceless treasure of Joy?
We ask God for it.
We practice it by not letting our mouths and minds go to those negative life sucking dry places.
We hang around others who have joy.
We saturate our hearts with truth from scripture.
We limit our time on social media and news outlets. (huge one for me!)
We spend our time praying for others instead of reciting our worries.
Joy is a Fruit of The Spirit.
We have full access to this fruit.
God wants us to have this fruit!
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 5:13
Lord, let us be people of JOY. Help us to daily look to You as we seek JOY and help us to spread it to all around us. Fill us with Your JOY.
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11
Let’s be JOY spreaders today. How about it?
joy seeker,
jill
