Hm. I also could have talked about joy as desire for God. Or joy as hope in the glory of God.
Joy is very important to me.
2 comments:
Tuesday
said...
Despair... that's a good antonym. Because it goes beyond unhappiness or sadness. It's like an exteme of discontentedness, feeling as if we aren't in the right place and that there is no hope for us now.
When you said that joy is "the quiet peace that comes from knowing that you are in the right place," you reminded me of a song by Petra. The lyrics are simple, but I think it lines up pretty nicely with what you said about joy. Asterisks denote parts that echo what you said.
Got no place to run, gotta look up to see the bottom *No visible support* - no one there you can lean on You're all on your own - you know it's sink or swim There is no doubt about it, you have to look to Him
When you think you've had enough No more you can do *When you feel like giving up* Deadline is in view When your time is almost gone You haven't got a clue Now's the time to turn your face
(Chorus) ***You're in the right place*** - trusting only Him You're in the right place - kick back and just depend You're in the right place - to see what He can do You're in the right place - *He will come through*
When you're sinking fast - takin' water in your boat No one to bail you out - you think it's all she wrote The odds are against you - your chances slim to none A hopeless situation - you got no place to run
No one has a resuce plan Waiting in the wings Now's the time to call His name *He can do all things* When your self-reliance fails You still have a prayer *You will have to trust his Grace*
I don't want to go solo It's always better with two I just want someone to lift me up To pray and help me get through
I think . . . that you are right in saying that Joy comes from dwelling in God, and grounded in God. I also think Joy has a lot to do with the Truth.
This morning, in my devotions, I read John 15. In it Jesus says: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
And what are His commandments? That we love God, and love one another.
I think . . . the stuff of Joy comes . . . from a knowledge of the Truth. I find myself most joyful when God gives me understanding about who I am in Christ, and how I can love my neighbors, and when I know I am loved by God.
Joy is the opposite of despair! Because to despair is to lack a God-relationship, and to have your Joy be full is to abide in the love of Christ!
I don't think sorrow or distress is always a bad thing either. It is a great benefit to be able to despair, to . . . feel the separation between you (and by you I mean me) and God. Can our Joy ever be complete before heaven? (perhaps . . . Christ can fulfill the lack of union with God to complete our Joy even as we are still sinners)
A Year Of Questions is a project begun on March 22, 2010, by seven teens who want to be better at asking questions and articulating answers. This blog exists to make it easier to discuss these questions (because a 500 character limit on YouTube comments is rather limiting). Enjoy!
2 comments:
Despair... that's a good antonym. Because it goes beyond unhappiness or sadness. It's like an exteme of discontentedness, feeling as if we aren't in the right place and that there is no hope for us now.
When you said that joy is "the quiet peace that comes from knowing that you are in the right place," you reminded me of a song by Petra. The lyrics are simple, but I think it lines up pretty nicely with what you said about joy. Asterisks denote parts that echo what you said.
Got no place to run, gotta look up to see the bottom
*No visible support* - no one there you can lean on
You're all on your own - you know it's sink or swim
There is no doubt about it, you have to look to Him
When you think you've had enough
No more you can do
*When you feel like giving up*
Deadline is in view
When your time is almost gone
You haven't got a clue
Now's the time to turn your face
(Chorus)
***You're in the right place*** - trusting only Him
You're in the right place - kick back and just depend
You're in the right place - to see what He can do
You're in the right place - *He will come through*
When you're sinking fast - takin' water in your boat
No one to bail you out - you think it's all she wrote
The odds are against you - your chances slim to none
A hopeless situation - you got no place to run
No one has a resuce plan
Waiting in the wings
Now's the time to call His name
*He can do all things*
When your self-reliance fails
You still have a prayer
*You will have to trust his Grace*
I don't want to go solo
It's always better with two
I just want someone to lift me up
To pray and help me get through
I think . . . that you are right in saying that Joy comes from dwelling in God, and grounded in God. I also think Joy has a lot to do with the Truth.
This morning, in my devotions, I read John 15. In it Jesus says: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
And what are His commandments? That we love God, and love one another.
I think . . . the stuff of Joy comes . . . from a knowledge of the Truth. I find myself most joyful when God gives me understanding about who I am in Christ, and how I can love my neighbors, and when I know I am loved by God.
Joy is the opposite of despair! Because to despair is to lack a God-relationship, and to have your Joy be full is to abide in the love of Christ!
I don't think sorrow or distress is always a bad thing either. It is a great benefit to be able to despair, to . . . feel the separation between you (and by you I mean me) and God. Can our Joy ever be complete before heaven? (perhaps . . . Christ can fulfill the lack of union with God to complete our Joy even as we are still sinners)
I really loved this video.
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