`Full Joy’ or `Less Joy’

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
“The joy of giving is the greatest joy of life.” — Rhonda Byrne

Iused 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, “Find joy as you 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
JOY is the acronym for loving:
Jesus first & foremost as we focus on Him;
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.”
Allow me to contrast FULL joy
Faithful
Uniting
Loving
Living
like Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit bearing the fruit of joy as opposed to LESS
Lusting,
Envying,
Selfishly
Self-centered.
“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, Veronica Leighton, Melody and Dino Dizon, etc. just to name a few.
We have the power to choose to be full of joy and not less of joy. 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, Son, 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 living less joy rather than full of joy. Forgive us for mistrusting you and at times, not believing You. Remove any unbelief, negativity or anything ungodly things 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!