A Joyful Life

On Sunday's I go to church at nighttime. The service is called 608, and yes, it does start at 6:08. For the past 3 or so years it has been a place very close to my heart. It was where I found Jesus, gave my life to Him, and spend every Sunday worshipping our glorious Lord. I cannot explain to you all how big of a part my church has been in my life during the past 3 years. Having a place of comfort, where I can go and worship and continue to grow as a christian is much needed in this world that we live in.

Tonight the message was about living a joyful life. Even though this topic is often talked about, it is always a good reminder of how important it is to living such a lifestyle. Growing up I was not necessarily always around the most positive people and I did not grow up having a relationship with Jesus. Even nowadays I am not always surrounded by positive people, which can make being positive and joyful a bit harder. Tonight the message was from Philippians 4:4, simple but so sweet and filled with so much truth.

Our pastor said a few things that really stuck with me tonight... 

Joy is a command, along with a choice.

In the scripture pictured aboved God tells us twice that we should rejoice in Him. He commands us to rejoice because he knows that it is something that can benefit our lives and that we have every reason to rejoice. But He also makes it a choice for us. He wants us to choose joy because it means that we are rejoicing in Him and letting Him take our life into His hands. He wants us to live this way because he knows that it is best for us and will only bring us closer to Him.

It's not joy that makes us grateful, its gratitude that makes us joyful.

I've heard this before, but it continues to be such great truth in my life. If I am living a life full of gratitude how can I go around being anything but joyful. My pastor said tonight, "Joy grows in soil that has been cultivated in humility and fertilized with gratitude." Meaning we have to humble ourselves so that we can become more grateful for what we have. If we are constantly thinking we are better than everyone else we cannot have true joy in our lives because we will never be truly grateful. 

Tonights message made me want to check my own life. Over the next year a lot will be changing and I want to make sure I rejoice in everything that the Lord does in and through me, no matter good or bad. Reminding myself that life can be better if I am only grateful is such a great way to start this last year of college I have. I want to cherish every moment of it and the only way to do that is to be truly grateful in what I am given and then I can rejoice in it! Friends, this is probably one of the toughest things to be able to do, especially when those around you are experiencing and getting things that you may have been longing for in life, but let me tell you... Once you are grateful for what you do have, and you are able to rejoice in Christ Jesus, He truly will bless you in areas you never knew He could. Join me in being grateful, so that I can rejoice in the Lord. It may not be easy but Paul said in Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And He definitely can strengthen us, more than we know. 

Have a joyful week, my friends.