The Power of Joy
- Ann Abbott
- Feb 24, 2016
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 16
“The joy of the LORD is your strength...” Neh. 8:10b (NLT) Does this bring you a sense of hope and relief when struggling with life’s bumps in the road? How can joy be our strength?
In Hebrews 12: 1b-2 (NIV), we read “ 1 … And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 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.” (italics mine)
In my last entry, I wrote of the prodigal son who decided to return home when he had “bottomed out” in his life. He had made a mess of things in his life, but he knew that if he went home, his father would at least let him work as a servant, if not receive him back as a son.
Jesus also left His “home” in heaven, but not to live His own life the way He wanted to, for self- gratification; rather He left in order to be humbled by living as a man on earth, and showing us the way to the Father. He made it possible for all of us to better understand the Father’s great love for the world, and His desire to be in relationship with us. He knew the bigger picture, what was to be accomplished from the suffering. (To learn more about how to be a child of God, and have that relationship with Him, see: The Bridge to Life)
As Jesus’ time of earth was drawing to a close, and the ultimate sacrifice about to be made, it is recorded that Jesus did this excruciating act “for the joy that was set before Him”. We all will experience suffering, but do we understand the “joy” that God intends for us to have if we are in relationship with Him? (Psalms 16:11) Do we have a joy that enables us to endure, to see life and its hardships from a bigger perspective?
According to www.dictionary.reference.com the noun “joy” means: “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.”
God has created us to experience joy. In the area of brain/science, studies have been made that show how young infants experience joy when cared for by loving parents. This experience actually has a vital part in developing their neural pathways. We all can respond to and/or generate joy which builds our “joy strength”. This joy strength can give us the ability to handle the hard challenges of life. Read more about this in “The Life Model: Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You” (Published by Shepherd’s House, Inc. Pasadena, CA 91104 Revised 2000)
Neh. 8:10b (NIV) “…the joy of the Lord is your strength”. There is so much more that can be written about joy! Having the joy that generates in understanding WHO God is, and His love for us, and His plan and purpose for us is something that goes deep. We need to know what is “exceptionally good or satisfying” about being in a relationship with Jesus and God the Father!
Hear more about this joy on: Developing Joy Strength - Jim Wilder, From Dread to Joy - Jim Wilder
Coming next: “Returning to Joy”
