Joy! Part 1

I am having the most difficult time thinking of a clever title for this. Maybe I'm not that clever.



Perhaps it is because Thanksgiving is just behind us and Christmas is right around the corner. Maybe it is because I am old now, and I can no longer check the 25-34 age group box. It could possibly be just the change in me since I've become a real Christian. Of course, the truth is in the last reason. I have enjoyed 33-35 more than I enjoyed 1-33. Because I have experienced the truth behind joy, I can write about it.



What "Joy" has meant to me is simply this:



"I no longer say to myself that I got to do this and I got to do that. (I know this is bad english). Instead, I say, I get to this and I get to do that."



Do you see the difference?



When Christ began to work in me, he began to purge that ugly, childish, selfishness that was deep inside me. He revealed to me that my life no longer belonged to me because I have now been redeemed by His blood, and His sacrifice. This revelation set me free. I am no longer bound by my own foolish selfishness. I am now, as the apostle Paul wrote, a bondservant of the Lord.



Stay with me folks.



Because I have a more perfect understanding of the truth that my reasonable service to the one who died for me is the surrender of my will to His will; I now have a greater appreciation of the gifts and blessings He has given me. What I understand is this: God doesn't owe me; I owe him. So, if everything is my Father's and he shares it with me, I would do well to be greatful. True joy means you are able to focus on what you have, and not focus on what you want. Therefore, I can freely enjoy everything in my life, as opposed to only enjoying the things that come easily, or that give me the most pleasure.



I no longer say, "I got to go to work." I say, "I get to go to work." Because now I understand that being able to work is a blessing. I no longer say, "I got to eat this nasty fast food again." I say, "Thank you Lord, I get to eat today." I no longer say, "I got to drive this old car of mine for another year." Instead I say, "Lord, thank you. I get to drive where I'm going, and not walk, or have to wait for a bus." I no longer say, "I got to go to church." I now say, "Lord thank you for allowing me to come into your house once again. How may I serve you?" I don't even say, "I got to go pay this speeding ticket." I now say, "Lord, thank you for giving me the resources to be able to pay my debt."



Do you see the difference? The difference is not what I'm doing that provides the joy. The joy comes from the changed attitude in whatever I'm doing. This attitude comes from knowing the Lord. The Lord said he would remove our stone hearts and replace them with flesh. The Lord will replace our grumbling and complaining with thanksgiving!

My friends, it is late in the age. I love you too much to leave you ignorant. Follow Christ, or go to hell. Those are the only two options given to us. Have you been joyless, as I once was. Follow Him and He will fill you with a joy that world cannot steal.