I was playing a game of Ultimate with a bunch of friends at the park. I turned around to smile an encouraging smile at my team-mates, and a smile met me back. It was so surprising that I dropped my jaw before I realized what I was doing! Somebody else was smiling! And it was a genuine smile - a smile that came from a heart filled with joy. That smile kept me thinking for a couple of days. On the way to church two days later, while we were stopped at an intersection, I took a quick look at each person that drove by us. Not one smile. Smiles are rare these days, have you noticed that? Okay, maybe not extremely rare, but when was the last time you saw a real, genuine smile? A smile that came from a heart filled with joy?
When was the last time YOU smiled a genuine smile - one that came from a heart filled with joy?
What is the source of joy? Where does joy come from? Where do you get it?
It all began with the fall.
How in the world does Adam and Eve' sin relate to joy? Hear me out. :D Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve's first sin.
(Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ~Romans 5:12)
This means all of us have sinned,
(for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ~ Romans 3:23)
and we all deserve the wrath of God.
(For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ~ Romans 1:18)
(For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ~ Ephesians 5:5-6.)
It all starts with understanding that we have sinned against a high, mighty, powerful, wrathful, loving, everlasting, infinite, good, just, holy, merciful, sovereign, wise, tender, faithful Father. (~ The Bible.) Then we need to understand that the Father gave up his only begotten Son to die as a sacrifice for our sins so that He might receive us into heaven. This should fill our hearts with eternal gratefulness we cannot express! And joy bubbles up from a heart filled with gratefulness - that's where true joy comes from.
Everywhere around us we find on T-shirts, on hand-bags, on bill-boards, and especially on the internet a message that says, "find out what gives you joy and do it." The joy that they are talking about is a joy that lasts but for a moment. It flees when we find ourselves in stressful, sad, tragic, lonely, or depressing situations. But the joy that comes from a heart filled with gratitude to God for His wonderful works never leaves.
A child of God should be a visible beatitude for joy, and happiness, and a living doxology, for gratitude and adoration.
~ Charles Spurgeon
In His presence is fullness and joy; in His absence is depth of misery. ~ Charles Spurgeon
Those who are 'beloved of the Lord' must be the most happy and joyful people to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth. ~ Charles Spurgeon
Too many think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior. He who has stood before his God, convicted and condemned, with the rope about his neck, is the man to weep for joy when he is pardoned, to hate the evil which has been forgiven him, and to live to the honor of the Redeemer by whose blood he has been cleansed. ~ Charles Spurgeon
There is nothing dreary and doubtful about life. It is meant to be continually joyful... We are called to a settled happiness in the Lord whose joy is our strength. ~ Amy Carmichael