The sun beamed upon the crown of his head, lighting the shadows that lay beside him as he pondered the words of his mission. Besieged by the task at hand, he knew within himself that his part to play in the war had been turned up to a higher degree. He could no longer hide in the shadows of who he was as a demand had been placed upon him, he had been commissioned. As sweat from the rising sun beat down his face and his nerves began to tremor fear, something else rose on the inside. A small voice of hope in his head saying “we can do this.” He looked up to the skies and smiled; he knew the voice. Joy arose on the inside with a mighty strength from a fortified truth. He led the men to a mighty victory.
- Stacey Spencer
Joy is defined in the dictionary as ‘a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight within a thing or person greatly valued’. This everlasting fruit can often be the unease of humanity, as we can tend to not dare acquaint ourselves with it. We speak of a strong allegiance to happiness, conditioning our minds and hearts to its instabilities but never truly walk in pursuit of joy.
You may not be facing a physical war but we all face war. This could be emotionally, spiritually, socially, morally or even mentally. Life tests us through its situations and circumstances to reveal to us who we really are.
The soldier in the above story was faced with a decision. He had been called to come higher and lead the men into battle. He could of chose differently but instead he chose to listen to a voice of which he knew was not his own, a different source. From this source joy arose in the midst of the storm.
Happiness is an emotion, which like many others can be likened to a heart monitor. How we feel and our perspectives produce inconsistencies that peak either high or low dependent upon situations and circumstances presented to us. We cater to their unpredictability and the solidity we need is never truly accomplished.
Joy is much more than this. This is the component that caused the soldier to rise in the fullness of who he was. His mind and tampered thoughts told him that it was impossible; that there was no way of him accomplishing what had been asked of him. The emotion of any given situation will ware off but joy stays as it comes from truth based upon the source living inside of you.
In order to rise above an uneven playing field our joy must be a continuous flow from a source greater than the one whose vessel it flows within. It gives us an inner strength and hope to draw upon in order to face this little thing we call ‘life’.
Nehemiah 8:10 (New King James Version) Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Psalm 28:7 (New American Standard) The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.
When someone or something greatly valued to you is the cause of your pleasure or delight, you will find that you have a hope because you firmly placed your trust in that thing or person. A peace comes following your decision and you find the strength to conquer all battles in life.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF YOUR JOY? Is it man? Is it animal? Is it your job? Is it materialism? Is it even yourself? Imposters are always unveiled in the end because of truth finding its way to the foreground.
Let your true source of joy be revealed to you. When you find the answer and if it does not seem to be in its rightful place then I encourage you to place joy back in the true source it belongs… God.
BY: STACEY SPENCER (NNDC Blogger)