The joy of the Lord never leaves us even in sad or hard times.
We have the joy in the middle of our grief and tears. This is not something unbelievers understand.
When we know grief is a feeling we know that the feelings are not our essence but merely response to stimuli. We understand that the joy of the Lord runs far deeper than temporary feelings and is always present.
Feelings are not a measure of our essence. They must be ignored to be able to follow truth. When we feel sad it is nothing more than the fleshly response to the outward circumstances.
When we become strong enough to ignore our feelings and do what is right we will say how we feel but proceed to follow truth in spite of feelings.
Those who live by their feelings seem to always have messes to clean up after their improper response to those feelings.
Those who are jealous or controlling will base all they do on how they feel in the moment. I have seen many people speak disrespectfully to someone simply because they felt jealous of the other person.
Those who feel jealous of someone will act disinterested, even dismissive of those they think have something they wish they had. Their ability to enter into joy about accomplishments with their target of jealousy is missing.
Feelings often are very destructive, they cause people to believe things that are not true.
Sometimes feelings are enjoyable, but that is not the measure of truth. We feel good when someone makes a funny joke but that joke often has little value in our spiritual growth or resolve. I don't say we shouldn't enjoy levity from time to time, I only say that too much joking has little value in our Christian walk, especially if our goal is just to make others laugh.
The joy of the Lord far surpasses any contrived joking to make someone laugh. Peace and joy stays with us all the time everywhere we go, never to leave us.
Matthew 25:21
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!'"
Luke 16:10
"Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."
The joy of the Lord comes from trusting in Christ and a job well done when we obey.
We have the joy in the middle of our grief and tears. This is not something unbelievers understand.
When we know grief is a feeling we know that the feelings are not our essence but merely response to stimuli. We understand that the joy of the Lord runs far deeper than temporary feelings and is always present.
Feelings are not a measure of our essence. They must be ignored to be able to follow truth. When we feel sad it is nothing more than the fleshly response to the outward circumstances.
When we become strong enough to ignore our feelings and do what is right we will say how we feel but proceed to follow truth in spite of feelings.
Those who live by their feelings seem to always have messes to clean up after their improper response to those feelings.
Those who are jealous or controlling will base all they do on how they feel in the moment. I have seen many people speak disrespectfully to someone simply because they felt jealous of the other person.
Those who feel jealous of someone will act disinterested, even dismissive of those they think have something they wish they had. Their ability to enter into joy about accomplishments with their target of jealousy is missing.
Feelings often are very destructive, they cause people to believe things that are not true.
Sometimes feelings are enjoyable, but that is not the measure of truth. We feel good when someone makes a funny joke but that joke often has little value in our spiritual growth or resolve. I don't say we shouldn't enjoy levity from time to time, I only say that too much joking has little value in our Christian walk, especially if our goal is just to make others laugh.
The joy of the Lord far surpasses any contrived joking to make someone laugh. Peace and joy stays with us all the time everywhere we go, never to leave us.
Matthew 25:21
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!'"
Luke 16:10
"Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."
The joy of the Lord comes from trusting in Christ and a job well done when we obey.
No comments:
Post a Comment