No Joy?

When the joy of the Lord is not present, the evidence is clear, so clear. It is. But, we don’t like to admit we have no joy. We call it anything but. We see it and we acknowledge it, but we won’t admit it. It’s anything but ‘no joy’.

And we call it other things. It is death without life, striving without abiding, busyness without rest, and fighting without peace. And we will admit to all that. We will. We will admit to our striving, to our busyness and tiredness, to our fighting, and restlessness. But to no joy?

Admit to no joy? No joy in the LORD?

No, that is harder. It admits something deeper. No joy does. It admits to no satisfaction. No fulfillment. No relationship.

But it is true, there is no joy in the LORD when there is striving and restlessness, fighting and tiring.

Your dependence on the LORD, your need for Him, your satisfaction in Him, your relationship with Him. Only that is joy!

And when the joy of the LORD is there, there is strength because there is peace and rest and abiding. And life! Yes, where the joy of the LORD is there is strength.

For it’s where Christ is.

Oh, Lift up your eyes. Christ is the Giver of Life!

What joy there is to simply follow Him, for He gives Life!! Follow Him today and receive from Him life and joy! And strength!

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“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” - Psalm 51:12
ESV

“…And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” - Nehemiah 8:10 ESV