Living Joyfully

A habit I have tried to implement is to say, "Father, today I choose Your joy no matter what I’m feeling," first thing in the morning as I wake up. Starting the morning like this is one way I take a stand to experience joy in my day.

Every new day gives us new opportunities to declutter anything that hinders the free flow of God's joy in our lives.

Jesus revealed that our Heavenly Father delights in giving the Holy Spirit to people who ask. When Paul talked later on about the fruit of the Holy Spirit, he included joy on the list. To experience the joy of the Lord, we must have the Holy Spirit, a gift from the Father.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things, there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

Joy is evidence of the presence of the Spirit of God in us, it is a characteristic of God that He wants us to share. Jesus often asked people, "What do you want?" even when their infirmity was obvious. Likewise, if we want joy, we can ask for it, too. So, although we can't conjure up this Holy Spirit joy on our own, we can walk in it by asking for it.

The joy of the Lord is an attainable way of life for every Christian. The blockages are real, but now that we know how to recognize and remove them, let us ask the Lord to give us a perspective shift regarding His joy to see it through His eyes.

As we do the inner work of removing envy and unforgiveness from our hearts and work on letting go of the things we've held on to, it will be our Lord's pleasure to renew our minds so that we have Holy Spirit joy as an active and vibrant part of our lives.

"Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones, and give thanks to His holy name." (Psalm 97:12)

As the joy of the Lord finds free movement in and through you, may the sound of your laughter spill out of you. May it be a blessing to you and those around you!

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for sharing Your joy with us. Please help me to take what I've learned in this devotional and apply it to my life in practical ways. I want to be alert for the things that block Your joy from flowing through me. Holy Spirit, please show me when I'm being envious, unforgiving, or holding onto things I should let go of. Teach me how to practice gratitude consistently, and may I bring You joy as I lay hold of this beautiful gift You've already given me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

If you would like to learn more about joyful living, head to www.debbiemendoza.com for a copy of the eBook, The Gratitude Shift: Embracing Six Gifts You Already Have.