How do we grow Joy?

We talked about the fact that fruit needs to be grown.  So how do we grow fruit of joy in our life?

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-19)

 

This is a fairly well known passage, and I would hazard an opinion that it is not only the instruction, but also the teaching on how to accomplish it.

Be joyful always? How?

By…

• Praying continually
• Giving thanks in all circumstance.

If we are faced with circumstances where joy is not our first response, then our first response needs to be to bring it to the Lord.
Then, we need to have faith that it is part of his plan for our lives, and give thanks.

It does not say we need to give thanks for all circumstance, but that we must give thanks to Him in all circumstance.

This is how we will know that it is God’s will.  And if it is God’s will, then we can have joy in that fact.

God’s Joy

I said earlier that growing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is about finding and putting on God’s attributes.

So what do we know about God’s joy?

God the Father takes joy in his creation.
“… and He saw that it was good.” etc.
Both Old Testament and New Testament are filled with God’s pleasure at his creation, and his love for us.

God the Son takes joy in his work in our salvation.
Jesus talks about this as being his purpose.  To come and seek and save the lost, and to give his life for is people.  This was not easy for him, but it was his joy.

God the Spirit … helps us find our joy.

• And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit
  (Acts 13:52)
• For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
  (Romans 14:17)
• 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 15:13)
• You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit
  (1 Thessalonians 1:6)

Joy is often connected to Holy Spirit in the Bible.  It seems that when we walk in His way, and trust in Him, his joy will find us.

 

Day 38 – Maundy Thursday

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

Whether you call it Maundy Thursday, Holy Thursday, or any of its other names, tonight is the night we commemorate Jesus last night on earth.  The occasion is usually noted for two things:  Jesus’ washing of his disciples feet; and the institution of the Last Supper.  

But after he had done these things, he went to the garden to pray with his friends.  His last hours before he was betrayed and taken away, and he chose to spend them with his closest human friends and companions.  Who all fell asleep.   Repeatedly.

It’s easy for us to chastise the disciples for their lack of faith, or stamina, but how much better are we?  How are we planning to spend tonight?  I am not suggesting that we keep a prayerful vigil in a cold church (unless you feel called to do so.)  I am suggesting that once we walk out of church today, we should try not to forget why we were there, and should try to spend some time with Jesus.  It might not be his last night of earth, but we never know when it might be ours.