Open Your Heart Toward Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Scoop up an armload of joy to share with others throughout the day!

            What are you carrying?  We all have loads, burdens, hearts full of something.  Peer deeply into your own heart and see if you find love, joy, peace….all kinds of fruit of the Spirit.  Or do you, instead, find anger, resentment, an unforgiving spirit…which can lead to bitterness. 

            When we recognize the stench of bitterness in our lives, we need to confess it and ask God to help us get rid of it.  If we nurture it, it will grow and take over our thoughts, our attitude, our decision-making. 

            Mark 11:25 says: “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”   Do we want God to forgive us?  Of course, we do!  Then, we should be willing to forgive others. 

                Linda Sheperd gives us this effective word picture: “Imagine that one day you look up to see Jesus with his arms outstretched toward you.  You smile, so wanting to draw near to him, so wanting his comfort in exchange for your pain. But you discover you can’t reach back. Your arms are full of bitterness.” 

               Let’s loosen our grip on any bitterness and unforgiveness that we may be carrying….and open our arms toward joy in relationship with Jesus!