Set the Prisioner Free

            Have you had your Joy Juice today? When we release our anger and hurts to God, there is much more room for joy.

           

            Lewis Smedes wrote a powerful statement regarding forgiveness. He said, “When we genuinely forgive, we set a prisoner free and then discover that the prisoner we set free was us.”

Forgiveness is a change in us.  It doesn’t necessarily change the person who caused our pain. But it brings healing and wholeness to the place where we have been wounded. It sets our spirit free so we can return to life, open to receive the many blessings God has for us, including joy. (From The Joy Stealers by Rob Renfroe)

            We need to realize that true forgiveness is not about the other person.  We can choose to forgive them and move forward…whether they apologize or ask for forgiveness or never do. Even if the wrong is never “made right”,  forgiveness is within our control.

If we choose NOT to forgive, we can become bitter & resentful. Before long that root of bitterness turns into something really ugly and steals our joy right out of our hearts! Unforgiveness is an evil reminder of our enemy….and the kinds of choices he likes us to make.

            Forgiveness on the other hand is a beautiful, lovely reminder of God’s grace.

             As Ephesians 4:32 teaches…may we “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave us.”

Contagious Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Take inventory of your Joy “stash”! Are you running low?  Share with others and your joy will multiply!

            In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul reminds us as Christians that we have been cleansed of our old ways and given a new identity…and a new nature in Christ. Then he said, in verse 12 something that we often forget or neglect to acknowledge. He said, “‘I have the right to do anything, you say—but not everything is beneficial.’” 

            One pastor (Rob Renfroe) explains: “Something may be morally acceptable in the sight of God, but it might not be beneficial to our walk with Christ. So along with asking the question, “Is the influence of this thing or person acceptable in God’s sight?,” we also need to ask, “Will this help me be the person God wants me to be?” And how will it influence others?

            Paul tells us (1 Corinthians 15:33) that “bad company corrupts good character”. The company we keep will influence us—the way we live, the attitude we possess.  A study conducted at the Univ. of Warwick, released in the fall of 2017, discovered that ‘both good and bad moods can be picked up from friends…Evidence suggests mood may spread from person to person via a process known as social contagion.’

            Did you hear that word CONTAGION????  That excites me because I truly believe that we CAN be contagious in a GOOD way! 

         Let’s spread CONTAGIOUS JOY as we share the love of Christ with others.

Drink in His Joy Continually

            Have you had your Joy Juice today? Don’t have any? Look again! There is always enough of God’s joy to replenish every heart, no matter how much is needed.

            I’ve been quoting a lot over the past few days from Rob Renfroe’s book The Joy Stealers. In his book, he makes this promise, “Become fixated on what you don’t have and unhappiness will flood your life.  But develop the ‘attitude of gratitude’ and you will begin to experience real joy."

             When you wake up in the morning, think of five blessings that are yours and thank God for them.  As you go to sleep, review your day and identify at least one gift that God brought into your life and express your gratitude to God.  You will discover that the best things in life are yours, and you will find that you have more than enough to be filled with joy.”

            Paul tells us in Philippians 4 the secret of being content.  The key to knowing and exuding true, genuine joy is having that unique, personal, intimate relationship with Jesus.

            Can you think of five blessings? Of course, we can! Many more than five! But let’s start with five and thank God for those five ‘joy-gifts’, as I like to call them.  Then tomorrow, let’s thank Him for five different blessings…and the next day, five more.  May this become a habit as we thank God morning and night for His gifts of joy. 

            Soon we may find ourselves drinking the Joy Juice of Jesus….continually!