Technicolor Joy: A Seven-Day Devotional by Skip HeitzigSample

Finding Technicolor Joy

How do I find joy? Paul the apostle found the answer to that question every one of us asks.

Joy is one of the themes of the Christian life. Today's Scripture reading highlights just how many times Paul mentioned it in his letter to the Philippians. Joy doesn't depend on money, power, sex, or drugs. If it did, the people who have those things would be the most joyful people on earth, but they aren't. Over the years, I've sat with many a person who has learned the hard way how unsatisfying the things of this world are: the multimillionaire who gained wealth but lost meaning and purpose, the depressed alcoholic and miserable drug addict whose habits cost them everything, the prostitute whose abusive encounters left her scarred.

C.S. Lewis once observed, "Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

Substituting any thing or person for Christ will never bring true joy to your life. It might bring you some measure of happiness, but remember, joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness depends on the happenings and circumstances of your life. It goes up and down like a thermometer. Joy, on the other hand, is constant—even when things are not going your way. Joy is a compass pointing to God's true north, and it's meant to be an ever-present reality in the life of a believer.

It was an ever-present reality in the life of Paul. Remember his life motto? "To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). You can experience the same radical joy Paul did by trusting God's plan for your life in good times and bad. God does have a plan, and He's going to work it out for your good (see Romans 8:28). Your part is to magnify Christ in and through your life as you tap into the Holy Spirit's resources. When you do that, you'll find that the joy that brings light and color to your life will also shine the way for others to find Jesus.

If you want to experience that technicolor joy and you haven't already accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, please do it now. With a sincere and repentant heart, simply pray:

God, I know I am a sinner. I turn away from sin and I turn to Jesus. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again, saving all who believe in Him. Fill me with Your Spirit and come into my life. Transform me. Make me into a new creation. I pray this in Jesus' name.

If you prayed this prayer, we'd love to hear from you at connectwithskip.com/knowgod. And welcome to a new life of abundant joy in Christ.