What Brings the Most Joy

Joy is not the absence of sadness, else it would not be available in seasons of grief.

Nor is it merely the knowledge that God works things out for our good if we love Him, that He builds character through suffering, that He will one day wipe every tear from our eyes.

The key to joy, I’ve found, is intimacy with Christ. And intimacy with Christ comes through emotional honesty with Him. Joy comes from knowing Jesus.

In joy, then, I find peace in the middle of pain, comfort in the depths of sorrow, hope in the anguish of grief—pain, sorrow and grief expressed fully and privately in the presence of Jesus.

Psalm 16:11 says, “…in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

It is in His presence that I am freest to mourn, to weep, for He is trustworthy. I have yet to find a safer place for my broken heart, a place freer of judgment, freer of self-consciousness, freer of shame.

This place, this freedom—this invitation—to unabashedly pour my heart out to the God of the universe and to find acceptance, love and comfort is nothing less than joy.

 

King Jesus,

Accepting and Saving One,

Gentle and Mighty One,

I offer You this honesty, this barrenness—

my heart helplessly broken, my love unalterably pained.

How thankful and amazed I am at Your response—

covering me with acceptance and safety,

transferring Your love

from the pages of Your Word

to the understanding of my heart.

One Response to “ “What Brings the Most Joy”

  1. Dawn says:

    This is beautiful Joanne!

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