Joy is happening!
Happy happy joy joy its Advent/ countdown day 17~
This time of year makes me so happy for the most part! I have my days of why bother, this person or that person wont enjoy what I do, or what I make or what I give, so why bother; but then... joy happens! I remember what Jesus said, that there would be troubles in the world but He had overcome them.
I can overcome too!
Then I remember how Jesus told the disciples only some things at the certain times, and so sometimes people do not get it at first, the importance of the gift they are given, or the reason the gift was done just as it was.. but then! Joy happens!
God knew what He was doing, obviously, but when the people get discouraged or greif overwelms them He made a way to bring joy to us in a way that we know it was God. We can feel it, sure, but we can know it. We can know that joy is happening around us.
Yes I am telling you these things now, so that when they happen you will remember my warning. I didn't tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer. But now...I said in a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve but your grief will suddenly turn into wonderful joy. John 16:4-20
He said we would rejoice, or rather they would rejoice, but it includes us cause we too rejoice in God our savior! The point of his talk about a baby being born, where a woman has pain and fear and all kinds of emotions that wear her down and then, joy happens when she holds her baby in her arms is amazing. That is how it is when we feel like God cannot use us, when we think we do nothing for Him or anyone because we don't get paid for it. We feel useless because our world focuses on getting paid for the things we do helping us live a good life. But God did something in this! If I share the gospel like the disciples who did it with not even a wallet to keep money in, no house of thier own they just kept going I can know joy in the faces of those who hear and believe. Still many of the stories we read of in the Bible came through letters written by guys who were not able to see those who got saved, they could just trust the joy they knew because of the letters that came back to them.
I think that's why we like comments in blogs an vlogs, when we share a bit of the Word to the World we want to know we did something for God and His Kingdom; we want to know that joy is happening!
Today let's make it a point to let people around us know that we appreciate the work they do for the Kingdom of God. Let's write a note, or comment, or encourage them with a simple gift. Lets give them joy in the Holy Ghost kind of joy! Drop off a treat at the office, give a cookie, a cup of coffee for someone in the house, or even a kind word will bring joy to someone! Which one will you do?
Heavenly Father, thank you for your joy! Help us to make joy happen in the world we live in by smiling, feeding, or encouraging someone in the Word today! Everyday! In Jesus' name