Joy, Joy...Down In My Heart

I should be thankful...

...that whenever I say Jesus, my heart spasms with joy. When I think about prayer, my heart spasms with joy. When I remember even a pinch of what God has done in my life, my heart spasms with joy. Even knowing that there is so much I have to trust God with TODAY, my heart spasms with joy.

Do we really understand how fantastic, how incredible, how AMAZING it is that we are Christians? I have been reminded of this as of late. I mean - do you REALIZE how PRIVELIDGED you are that GOD CHOSE YOU TO ENTER INTO HIS GRACE AND MERCY SO THAT YOU MAY PARTAKE IN ENTERNAL LIFE?!?!?! I mean - that is...beyond words! That is...so undeserved. You did not deserve it. I did not deserve it.

Why...HOW...do we just take that for granted?! But we do. I do. All the time.

Brothers and sisters...are you experiencing joy? Because if you aren't, please - please pray that you do. Honestly, joy is amazing and it can be experienced whatever your circumstances. If you disagree with me, stop pitying yourself. God transcends all of our hardships. His love, his mercy, his kindness, his JOY...transcends any emotion, any frustration, any difficult...ANYTHING! And I am speaking out of PLENTY experience; trust me, I am. I know what it means to need healing; to be absolutely desperate; even to be poor. Granted, I have never been starving, and I have never been beaten within inches of my life. But I have been walked on, I have been taken advantage of on many horrible levels, I have been rejected countless times, and I have had so little that I can only live by the grace of God. I have been depressed, I have been in bondage, I have been harmed beyond my control. But God transcends everything.

But joy requires focusing our hearts on God - and removing the focus from ourselves.

That is all I have to say today - more for myself than anyone else, which is why I will not post this in a facebook message. So if you are meant to read it, you will find your way to it somehow.

May God bless you and fill you with everlasting joy through his Holy Spirit. And may you know the kindness and discipline of his unconditional love. Amen.