Joy, Joy, Joy, and more Joy! That’s what we need. The joy of the Lord is your strength.
So much of life tries to wear us down and steal our joy, that’s when we need to stir up joy on the inside of us.
I remember this song from when I was little, but I find myself still singing it sometimes LOL.
I’ve got that joy joy joy joy down in my heart –Where?
Down in my heart –Where?
Down in my heart –Where?
I’ve got that joy joy joy joy down in my heart –Where?
Down in my heart to stay
Do you remember it? I might be dating myself😊
So how do we live with more joy in our lives?
Praise! Nothing can stir up joy better than getting your praise on!🙌🏻 It’s the highest form of prayer. When nothing seems to be going right and your down in the dumps just putting on some praise music can literally change the atmosphere. It also lets the devil know he is under your feet!! Because he wants nothing more for you to stay down, depressed, and hopeless. But praise and worship moves our hearts to God and he is inclined to move closer to us and move in our circumstances when we praise and worship him for Him!
Every day I will bless You and lovingly praise You; Yes, [with awe-inspired reverence] I will praise Your name forever and ever. Psalm 145:2
Another thing I would say is extending grace to yourself, it might sound sill but when your busy hating yourself or being hard yourself you can’t walk in joy and peace. I don’t know about you but this is one thing I’ve really struggled with and something I’m learning to do. For instance, I’ve struggled with eating disorder, can I just say how much shame and guilt come with this. But I feel like I’m finally on a path to breaking free.
I’m not approaching these changes as a weight loss goals although that may happen. Instead of restricting things I give myself permission to eat and not feel guilty or bad after. I haven’t felt that way in I can’t remember when? Not sure if that makes sense or not. I’ve been able to eat things I would have never ate before, like fruit every day, fruit has been taboo for years. I’ve even been able to eat a treat in the evenings sometimes. The old me thought fruit had to many carbs but then I’d turn around and eat a bunch of GF cookies….because that doesn’t have carbs LOL.
Now I know for some people with diabetes like my husband they do have to watch their carbs but which is understandable but that wasn’t me. For whatever reason I developed a really warped mindset against food and body image So allowing God to renew my mind and extending grace to myself is crucial to my freedom.
Praise God, I haven’t binged very much at all, maybe because I’m giving myself permission to eat and not feel the usual guilt and shame. I have been praying a lot and just asking God to give me strength, wisdom and to renew my mind and change my view of food and image. I know I’ll make mistakes but today that’s ok I don’t have to try and be perfect and put on a mask. I can be the real me! We need to learn to extend the same grace to ourselves that we would extend to someone else.
I know I’ve mentioned this before but confessing His word daily is so important to renew our minds and bringing more JOY to our lives. But you gotta actually speak it out loud over yourself, your marriage and family, your health and finances, etc.
Being thankful and having a grateful heart increases our joy. Be thankful and SAY SO!!
The Word:
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! Psalm 100:4
Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! Psalm 117:1-2
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17
Decide, make up your mind and keep it set that no matter what the enemy throws at you YOU WILL WALK IN JOY.
Questions to help stir you up and ponder:
1. What are some ways you can express walking in joy in your own life?
2. What situations in your own life do you notice the enemy tries to steal your joy?
3. In what situations of your life have you experienced the joy of the Lord as your strength to get through certain trials?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father restore to me the joy of your salvation and let us not grow weary. I thank you for loving me and extending grace to me when I make mistakes. Help me to extend that same grace You give to us to others and myself. Help me to praise You in the trials of life and walk on your ways always. Fill my heart with unspeakable joy no matter what is going on. Bless my family and marriage and let us walk in you favor in Jesus name, Amen!
Big hugs,
Nicole💗