CONTAGIOUS JOY
…praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:47 (NIV)
How is your level of joy these days? How’s it working out for you?
It seems that the troubles and responsibilities of everyday life have a way of invading and stealing the delight and gladness that God came to earth to give us. We live in an unprecedented time of upheaval and destruction. The chaos comes in many forms: unfulfilled desires, wounds from those we love, destructive thoughts and habits we continue to fight, nagging and devastating health issues, politics, war, and the list goes on.
But in the middle of all this, there is joy. The joy of God if we seek it. An endless supply of joy.
Thankfully, God’s joy is big enough to sustain us in every circumstance. Salvation isn’t only the forgiveness of sin. It’s also the restoration of our hearts. The Old Testament prophets often proclaimed the restoration of joy, promising beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (from Isaiah 61:3). We find this in Jesus and no one else.
The beauty of today’s Scripture is that joy is contagious. You don’t have to seek it on your own. You can’t sustain it on your own. It’s a community thing. The people experienced this together. So much so that, according to this verse in Acts, the Lord added to the number of those praising Him and enjoying new life in Christ together. Joy has ripples.
APPLICATION: Seek joy today. Write J-O-Y on a notecard and carry it with you. Take a walk in nature. Listen to a stream. As God refreshes you, bring somebody into your experience. Invite your spouse or a friend to lay aside your troubles and burdens of life and draw your attention to God. Read Psalm 16 together and give space for God to bring overflowing gladness and joy.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I long to be filled with Your joy. The pressures of life creep in, and sometimes, they’re overwhelming. I say yes to joy today and pray that Your delight and gladness would spill over into the lives of the people I see today. May the joy You give me be contagious! You are more, and I am glad. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?