Discovering True JoySample

Understanding Joy in His Presence

Do you think the traveler in today’s film clip was thankful for what he already had? What if the first vending machine denied him the candy bar altogether?

The traveler appeared to forget his previous win when he saw the larger candy bar. It seemed too small compared to the next one. How quickly we forget all God has done for us when we complain or desire just a little bit more!

Have you ever said, “If I only had this, then I’d be _____.” Insert your own word here. Maybe it’s happy, beautiful or successful. Adam and Eve fell into the same trap.

The apostle Paul knew the secret to being content living in plenty or in want, because he knew where his confidence and joy lay. We don’t need more ... fill in the blank. We need more of Christ. In suffering or in happiness we can experience great joy because of the assurance of Christ in our lives.

We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). There’s joy in being grateful for His dying on the cross, or when we find ourselves sincerely worshipping Him, or smiling at His creation, knowing He gave us these wonders to enjoy. We find joy when we learn more about Him through His Word, or seek out community with others who also love Him. We can also experience joy when we give to others as an expression of God’s love, or by mourning with those who mourn so they know God is with them and they are not alone. We experience joy when we live out our love for God.

Jesus’ life wasn’t free of suffering or temptations or even difficult people, but He didn’t let those situations affect His mission or joy. You too can refuse to surrender joy in the face of hardship.

Thank you for reading Discovering True Joy. We’d like to invite you to check out "10 Ways to Practice Thankfullness," a resource to guide you into a closer relationship with God, no matter where you’re at in your journey with Him.

We would like to thank Jesus Film Project® ministry for providing this plan. For more information, please visit https://www.jesusfilm.org/

This reading plan includes clips from the following film:

Happiness is $1.25 © 2020 Broken Phonebooth Productions

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