Always Joyful
Wednesday May 1, 2013
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT)
Always be joyful. Is that really possible? Can anyone be genuine and be joyful all the time? Many of us have pasted a smile on our face at various times to appear happy when our insides were feeling something quite different. We see plastic smiles on the faces of politicians and media stars and then hear days later how they have attempted suicide or entered drug rehab. It seems that to appear joyful all the time requires a great cover-up and a real lack of integrity. Why then would God instruct us to be joyful all the time? How can we hope to achieve this? I can't find words to better answer this question than words Jesus gave us Himself. 
Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches.
When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire.
But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.
I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. (John 15:4-15 MSG)
When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire.
I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. (John 15:4-15 MSG)
In summary, God invites us to live in him and be in union with him. We do that by reminding ourselves often that God loves us now and always; intentionally reading God's word and talking to Him in order to get familiar with what He says. We obey and do what God says is best -- whether it makes sense to us or not. We may try many other things in order to be happy but they will leave us still looking. If we continue to do these simple things that Jesus tells us to do, we will abide in Him and find deeply satisfying joy.
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More information on this and other related topics @ www.partnersinhope.ca/resources
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