Advent, Week 4: JOY
“Unless the Lord had given me help,
I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
Your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
Your consolation brought me joy.” ~ Psalm 94:17-19, NIV
“Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.
They will enter Jerusalem singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
and they will be filled with joy and gladness.” Isaiah 35:10, NLT
“Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there is no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock is cut off from the fold
And there are no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;
I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].” ~ Habakkuk 3:17-19, AMP
I Have Joy Because Of You, Lord, No Matter What Comes My Way
Father, Your joy is such a blessing to me. Even on the hardest of days, Your joy remains — that blessed assurance that I am Yours and You are mine. Circumstances do not dictate the joy that resides deep within because circumstances do not dictate whether or not You are with me. You are with me always, for You are faithful.
Therefore I have joy!
You have reminded me that Your joy is my strength, Your joy resides in me already. I don’t need to create it, or earn it — I need only to release it.
Show me how Lord. Turn my eyes on You away from the difficult places. In You, I find my joy, in You I find my peace. In Your presence is joy unspeakable and full of Your glory.
In Your presence …
Being still and remembering You are God.
Speaking Your Name … Jesus.
Singing of Your mercies.
This is how joy is released in my soul, isn’t it, Lord? When I seek You, I find You. When I find You, joy rises from its hiding place and abounds.
Blessed Assurance … I Do Not Walk Alone
You are the Keeper of my soul, a very present help in times of trouble. You, Lord, are the joy of my soul … my blessed assurance. When anxiety is great within me, You comfort me. Your unfailing love supports me and steadies my heart. I am amazed that I can have tears of sadness streaming down my cheeks and still experience contentment deep within. It makes no sense to me, but I know it’s true and I know it’s a gift — joy is a fruit of the Spirit within me.
Your ways are not our ways. The joy You give is not like the joy the world offers. Much like Your peace, joy is born of Your great love and Your abiding presence. You, Lord, have made me glad! You have filled me with a song, a sacrifice of praise because I know I can trust You. The contentment I feel is not contentment with these very difficult circumstances — the contentment is knowing I do not walk alone.
You hold my hand. You protect my heart … You are my blessed assurance.
In the Name of Jesus, I pray,
Amen ~ let it be so
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Please don’t carry your burdens alone. I would be honored to pray for you. You may contact me directly at nan@nanjones.com
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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
