“Joy-full” or “Joy-less”

By: Nancy Abiera

 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” James 1:2-8

 

In the web dictionary, “joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.”

Russel Nelson says: “the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”

I used to be so stressed out when problems come in my life as my tendency was to focus so narrowly on my own problem. I remember my father used to tell me when I was younger, “Focus on the solution and not the problem.” He was right yet worrying about the problem seems to be the default of most of us. Later on, I learned from my Heavenly Father to “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. Hebrews 12:2

In summary, simply use JOY as the acronym for: Jesus first & foremost focus; Others second and equal to Yourself. This is in totality the meaning of Luke 10:27:

“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Similarly, Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Let me to contrast joy as FULL (Faithful/Fun Uniting Loving/ Laughing & Living) like Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit bearing the fruit of joy as opposed to LESS (Lusting, Envying, Selfishly & Solely) for yourself.

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:13-16

On a practical note, surround yourself with joyful loving people like the sisters, Veronica Leighton & Adoracion Miranda. Join us weekly with the Chicago Dance Power.

We have the power to choose to be joyfull or joyless. The choice is yours!

“Joy is not the absence of problems, trials temptations and/or tribulations. It is tapping in to the presence of God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.” Nancy H. Abiera

Let us pray: Lord, thank you for the gift/fruit of joy you lavish us. Forgive us for choosing joyless rather than being joyfull. Forgive us for mistrusting you fully and not believing You. Remove any unbelief, negativity or anything ungodly in us. Help us Lord and grant us a state of mind and heart of Jesus full of wisdom and love that bring so much joy to you, to ourselves and others. We pray all these things in the name of the Father and of the Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Always choose “On A Bright Side” moving further and farther “On A Brightest Side”. I love you readers with the love of the Lord yet the Lord loves you the most. You are blessed, anointed and highly favored by God. Smile and be a blessing!