So
the women hurried away from the
tomb,
afraid yet filled with joy…
Matthew 28:8 NIV
…the
joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10 ESV
You
make known to me the path of life; in
your
presence there is fullness of joy…
Psalm 16:11 ESV
…Weeping
may tarry for the night, but joy
comes
with the morning. Psalm 30:5 ESV
My
lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises
to
you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.
Psalm 71:23 ESV
May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
in
believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit
you
my abound in hope.
Romans 15:13 ESV
Have you ever lost your joy in the Lord?
Have you walked through circumstances that struck your heart with so much fear
that that even breathing became a difficult task? Has heartache stolen your joy
or sadness preoccupied your mind so that you think of nothing but what you have
lost? Are you afraid that life will never return to normal?
I have good news! God knows where you are,
and He will not leave you in a joyless place. His Word is life and filled with
joy and hope. Even in the midst of death and fear, there was joy as the women
left the empty tomb to tell the disciples their resurrection experience.
Nehemiah reminds us that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
The Psalms declare there is fullness of
joy in the presence of the Lord and that although we weep for a night, joy
comes in the morning. I refuse to forget that in the midst of my darkest hour, the
love of Christ shines a light to guide me through the blackness.
If you are presently walking through a
place of sorrow or fear, run to Jesus. He is the Redeemer—of your soul and your
joy. Encourage yourself in the Lord. Sing praise. Read God’s Word. Your joy is
not lost forever. It is simply tucked away in a corner of your heart waiting to
be uncovered so you can once again be filled with joy.
©
Joyce Powell
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