I don’t think I’ve ever experienced true joy in the Father. I’ve been a Christian for years, but somehow I have had too many walls up around my heart to let this specific Fruit of the Spirit “blossom” on my tree branches.
I’m experiencing so much freedom and joy in the presence of God that I don’t know if the joy is bringing the freedom or if the freedom has given joy an opportunity to grow and make me more alive. The latter makes more sense to me, but they are both so strong and showed up in my life at such a similar time that I can’t separate one from the other!
This is clearly a new season in my walk with the Father. Brand new. So new, that satan is doing everything he can to keep me from walking in the path that God is excitedly motioning me toward.
Lie #1: I don’t deserve joy.
Lie #2: Fully experiencing freedom and joy in this season will set me up for failure in the next.
Lie #3: There must be a catch because there’s no such thing as a pure enjoyment of life.
Lie #4: It must be processed, analyzed, and made sense of to be true.
Truth #1: Joy is a gift for those who claim their position as a daughter/son in the Kingdom of God. So, receive the gift already!
- Romans 15:13- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Truth #2: Fully experiencing joy and freedom in God’s presence will strengthen my relationship with Him and better equip me for the changing of seasons– providing fruit that lasts beyond its current season. I fully believe learning and embracing joy now will change the way I expect and enter the presence of God no matter what is going on around me.
- 1 Chronicles 16:27- “Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place.“
Truth #3: Joy is not dependent on circumstances and you can do nothing to earn it. Being in a love relationship with our Father and being secure in our salvation results in the fruit of joy.
- 1 Peter 1:8- “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Truth #4: Even if it doesn’t make sense to me, I believe in joy as a fruit of the Spirit. And if that is something God has for me as I walk closely with Him, it’s something I want. Even if it is new and weird to feel at times.
- Galatians 5:22- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
I’m still dealing with some of the fears associated with receiving joy, but I’m forcing my hands open to receive all the good and perfect gifts our God has to give. Don’t be afraid to ask God to cultivate the gift of joy in your life.
Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
God is the perfect teacher.
It’s his delight to awaken joy within us.
