Finding Lost Joy

In review of Romans 14:17 it says, “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NLT)

Bottom Line:

The Kingdom of God is not just a matter of what we eat or drink. Rather is living a life of goodness, peace and joy that come from the Holy Spirit.

What this means to me:

The important thing for me as a Christian does not involve what I eat or drink but rather living a life of goodness, peace and joy. All of this comes from the Holy Spirit’s presence in life.

One of the easiest things to lose is your joy. All it takes is one phone call or email, a letter or a conversation. It’s the easiest thing in the world to lose. And a lot of people in a lot of circumstances are conspiring to rob it from you.

When God’s children aren't filled with joy, it doesn't reflect well on God. If I’m cranky I’ll be a bad witness and example for Him. In my life, God wants me to be witnesses with my countenance.

The Bible tells us that the Christian life can be summed up in three words: goodness, peace, and joy. Romans 14:17 says, “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (NLT).

It’s good to know that it’s easy to get my joy back.

The first step is to admit I’ve lost it. I simply look at my past and ask myself a couple of questions: Has there ever been a time in my life when I was closer to God than I am right now? Has there ever been a time in my life when I was more joyful in the Lord than I am right now?

What was different then about your spiritual walk and quiet time? What are the things that are robbing me of my joy? Do those things change anything about God? Should they change anything about how much you love him and trust him?

Now is the time to make the change. But I've got to start by admitting that I've lost what I've had in the past. You could ask God about it; he’s waiting to help you. David prayed this in Psalm 51:12: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation” (NIV).

Learning To Reflect Before Responding

In summary of the two verses below:

Proverbs 29:11

"Fools vent their anger openly, but a wise and sensible person will quietly hold it back.”

Proverbs 19:11

“If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.”

Bottom Line:

Foolish people lose their tempers, but wise people control theirs.  Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

What this means to me:

These verses remind me that when situations arise that raise my frustrations/temper it would be more sensible for me to control it and hold back rather than vent it openly.  In practice when I’m angry I shouldn’t respond impulsively, rather I should opt to delay (at least for 5 minutes) take a "time-out', and give myself some time to reflect and think it through, even to look at the situation from God’s point of view.  The Bible says a wise man lets his anger cool down. (Proverbs 29:11)  If I don't stop and think, I’m likely to do the wrong thing. So I need to reflect before responding.  While I’m cooling down, I can reflect on three questions; Why am I angry? What do I really want? How can I get it?  Understanding the answers to these three questions will give me greater patience and perhaps the ability to overlook an offense.