Joy Comes in the MorningSample

“Real joy comes from real love which comes from really knowing Jesus! And all that is the result of the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Rolland Baker

My husband and I were friends all through college and we definitely felt that we knew each other, but it wasn’t until we started dating and courting one another that we actually got to know each other. You can’t know someone truly unless you spend time with them. We spent hours and hours together laughing and getting to know each other and the more time we spent getting to know each other, the more we loved each other; and the more we loved each other, the more joy we brought one another. The same is true with Jesus. The more we get to know Him, the more love we will have for Him, and joy will surely follow.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” We may all know this verse by heart but do we understand it? I once heard a pastor say that when we as believers choose to pursue the Lord, or even just pick up our Bibles and read them, that is a work of the Holy Spirit in us. We didn’t come up with salvation and we didn’t come up with the fruit of the Spirit, which includes joy; therefore, we can’t create joy in ourselves. It’s a work of the Spirit. It’s a fruit of the Spirit. And so is love for the Lord. I often ask God to give me more love for Him and less love for the things of this world that are quickly passing away. And I have good news… He always gives me more. He will give you more too, especially if you ask.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8

I want to challenge you today to think about what currently brings you joy in your life and ponder the fact that Jesus wants to be the source of all your joy. He wants to reveal Himself to you as a personal friend and companion in a deeper way. It’s easy to think that He is a some-day, far away, in the clouds type of God, but He’s not. He’s always available and His Word is how we get to know Him and experience the joy and peace that surpasses understanding. Before moving on to day 4, let’s be still and get to know God better and better so that our joy can be real.