Strength in Joy

When it already takes everything in you to get up in the morning, climb down the ladder of your bed, shower, and walk to class, adding a migraine hangover doesnt help much. So I laid there for a few minutes trying to figure out how I was going to get through my day. I prayed. I prayed for the strength to, first, just get out of bed. I got out of bed. Then I prayed for strength to get ready. I got ready. Then I prayed for strength to walk all the way to class... I got to class and opened up my Bible before it started:

Nehemiah 8:10 - “Go your way...the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Wow.

There is strength in joy.

But unlike happiness that is a feeling based on circumstances, joy is a choice. You must choose to accept it and live it out.

What is joy? Basically it is living in confidence that whatever circumstance one is faced with, that God is ultimately in control of the entire situation and has your best interest at heart no matter what. Joy is also a fruit of the Spirit, so all Christians are given this gift. But not all accept it, obviously. In order to reap the benefits and the strength of the joy of the Lord, one must embrace this gift and live it out. And there is so much strength to be had once joy is chosen.

Interestingly enough, a study was done about how the body is physically affected by our minds. "It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought." 1 No wonder one finds strength when joy is embraced!

So next Monday when you dont think you'll have the energy to get through the week, grab a hold of joy. Find your strength in this gift.



1 James Allen, As a Man Thinketh