Where is your Joy?

The news these days is filled with so many bad messages and bad reports that I don't watch it at all. Even on my Facebook page I have to scroll through, or sometimes block, the many negative images that try to inundate my feed. Plus, if you're a believer and you know what the Word says; it's hard to bypass the fact that we are truly entering into the end times.  With all of this coming at us it's easy to despair and allow ourselves to become overwhelmed by it all.  I know I have.

Recently, however, while I was praying, I heard the Lord say -'Where is the Joy?' The Word say says ..."the Joy of the Lord is our strength"  (Neh 8:10).  It also says "Rejoice in the Lord...Always" (Phil 4:4) and by always He means ALWAYS, but I know first hand how hard that can be.  Yet, the Lord in His Love and His Mercy is showing me that it's okay to be joyfull because it's all a part of His plan and His plan is always for our ultimate good.

So, I had to do some soul-searching and some research.  I prayed and asked for guidance and understanding, but most of all I asked for assistance in finding His Peace and His Joy in the midst of what appears to be pure chaos.  I found a book that seems to be helping me understand Revelations/prophecy better it's called "The Merciful God of Prophecy" by Tim LaHaye, the writer of the Left Behind series.  While I haven't finished it ,yet, I can say it's very encouraging.

That's why I'm writing today and going back to writing in general.  The first step in finding Joy (after receiving Christ) is serving others and I hope that through my obedience by writing, I am serving anyone that stops by this blog and is in need of an encouraging word or just food for thought.

See just like all of you, I go through hard times and I have moments when things aren't the way I want them to be or the way I think they should be, but that's when I have to turn to the source of all and remember: HE HAS A PLAN. It's not easy, I know, to trust the plan, especially when you don't know all the details and that's okay.  Just know that all will unfold just as it's supposed to.  Your job is to keep your eyes focused on the "prize" and find Joy in the midst of it all.  Encourage a friend or stranger, have dinner with your family, listen to a baby laugh or scroll through pictures of animals with funny faces; whatever you need to do, just find a way to smile and know that our Father in heaven loves us (yes, even you) and He loves to see us smile.

If you're going through something today, know that you didn't stumble on this post by accident.  I pray that our all knowing, all merciful God will help you find your way back to letting Joy into your life, again.  Children don't need a reason to smile, they just do. I pray you find that child-like part of youself and see the bright side of life, again. In Jesus, name, I pray. Amen.

If you're one of those people that have the Joy of the Lord always or you always see the bright side of things - Great! Now, share some that with the rest of us!

Either way, Be Blessed!