Note to Reader:
“I’m Walking” is a category of my blog where I jot down personal lessons that I’ve learned as I walk with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Life is never constant, but thankfully God is. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The more I get to know God’s character, through the Bible and prayer, the more my faith grows… all the while I’m taking notes along the way. I often jot down excerpts from other authors, notes from church services, and most importantly scripture from God’s word so that I can draft them into a concise format to refer to later. Originally, I compiled these notes for my own use, but it occurred to me that perhaps others may find my notes helpful as well. Thus, I humbly present my notes to you, hoping that they may offer even a little insight. With love, Ashley.
DAILY JOY:
In my daily walk with Jesus, He guides me in learning more about who He is and ultimately experiencing life with Him (as opposed to just knowing about Him). It means having an actual relationship with the God Almighty! The very God who created the universe and knew my name even when I was formless. The very God who loves me unconditionally and through His Son, Jesus Christ, has prepared a place in Heaven to be with Him for eternity. With that being said (and that isn’t even the half of it!) I couldn’t help but wonder, shouldn’t that in itself mean being filled with JOY?! I mean amazing, bubbling from within then out to the masses, constant joy… even in the midst of life circumstances.
God’s word even says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) and “Rejoice always!” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
Well, on my walk with the Lord, I found that my joy would sometimes waver. It wasn’t a constant joy. Mind you, I am blessed and so very happy for all the wonderful things God is doing in my life, but I wanted the type of joy that came from simply knowing God. Where my joy was not contingent on how well the circumstances in my life were going. Where even in the midst of it all (whatever “it” may be to you and me) I could still sing praises to my God and feel a little bubble of joy spring out from my heart and onto my lips. For crying out loud, I wanted to dance like David did (2 Samuel 6:14). I am sure I am not the only one who has ever been distracted by the busyness of life. After all, there are plans to be made, goals to pursue, circumstances that arise, and of course, society’s idea that there is always the next best thing to be had.
Thus, I searched for answers. As always, I found them in God’s word.
[Excerpts from my notebook begin below…]
I put my hope in God to make me joyful, not my situation/ circumstances. He is where my joy comes from. Why…?
PSALM 103:
1 My soul praise Yahweh
and all that is within me, praise
His holy name.
2 My soul, praise the Lord,
and do not forget all His benefits.
3 He forgives all your sin;
He heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
He crowns you with faithful love
and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with goodness;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.
…
8 The Lord is compassionate
and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our offenses.
11 For great is His faithful love
toward those who fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed
our transgressions from us.
Be present in each season of life God has given me. Be present with God. Walk with the Almighty step by step through each day. Enjoy the people. enjoy the process.
[Priscilla Shirer’s “Resolution for Women”]
“For each season of life, soak in it, relish it, cherish it, celebrate it, appreciate it for what it is. Each season of life is populated with all the things, people, events, relationships, and milestones that would make a once-in-a-lifetime experience– my only chance to fully be the person I’d be at this age and in this season. Only for the coming year would my husband be exactly like this. Only for these fleeting moments would my children talk, look, and act exactly like this. And if I choose to hurry through them in an attempt to avoid the parts I didn’t like, I’d simultaneously miss all the things I’d like about the season.
I recognized that by rushing through life (constantly trying to reach the “next better” thing/ circumstance), I’d be subtly devaluing those around me and the experiences I was involved in, not appreciating the importance and significance they bring to my life and the lives of others at this very moment, not grasping my responsibility for holding dear and treating well these gifts God has entrusted to me… Always looking toward the next moment, the next month, the next event, rarely allowing myself the privilege of fully participating and embracing the happenings that were right before me that day.
[Pg. 17] Today, “happiness” says there is always something else, something more, some additional requirement we need before we can really enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
… The fallout to this is inevitable. Fed by such a steady diet of unclaimed desires, we can hardly help but develop a level of disdain for our current circumstances.”
I Timothy 6:6 (HCSB)
“But godliness with contentment is a great gain (is itself a great wealth NLT) /[Italics mine]
The amplified version writes it as:
“[And it is indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a source of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NASB)
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money,being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.‘”/ [Italics Mine]
[Shirer, Pg. 19] “Contentment wasn’t some unique gift the apostle Paul had been given. It was a skill he had chosen and adopted, then had mastered and applied… Paul had resolved to be content.”
Philippians 4:11-13
“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content– whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
[Shirer] ” ‘Content’ referred to an inner sufficiency– a satisfaction found in the depths of one’s own life with God, independent of our surroundings.”/[Italics Mine] (Joy in the Lord!)
When you’ve concluded that what you already have on hand is enough, that it is adequate–that it’s been deemed by God as sufficient— then you’re equipped and empowered to participate fully in the tasks set before you during this season of life.” /[Italics Mine]
Thus, our contentment and joy comes from God himself– All of who He is– and God is good!
We can enjoy our life today (and in this season) because GOD IS IN OUR LIVES.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Finding contentment and joy in every day and in each season of life does not mean one is “settling” or resigning one’s self to a life of mediocrity.
[Shirer Pg. 28-30] “On the contrary, contentment is the equilibrium between the enjoyment of life now and the anticipation of what is to come. It means you no longer allow your yearnings and aspirations to control you, to rob from you the full use of and gratitude for what you’ve currently been given, leaving you unable to enjoy this because He hasn’t seen fit to give you that. Making this resolution of contentment will allow you an opportunity to look forward to tomorrow with peace and ease.
You give yourself permission to enjoy fully the things you have, the person you are, and the life you’re currently living while continuing to harbour the dreams that keep you growing and stretching into the future. [Contentment/Joy] is the faith-filled belief that what God has bestowed now is worthy of gratitude and appreciation, not merely because it is enough, but because it is good.“
The joy that comes from the Lord is independent of my circumstances/ surroundings. It is independent of what I have or don’t have. It is not contingent on the success of my plans or my timing. It is happiness that comes from knowing God himself, through His word, through prayer, through faith. It is joy that comes from being loved unconditionally by God.
Even when whatever it is I’ve hoped for doesn’t happen, I worship my God still! He is sovereign. He is faithful. He is love!
Further still, the depths of my joy comes from my salvation! Praise God!
We ask: “But God, don’t you love me?”
He replies, “I do.”
We ask: “But God, won’t you show me?”
He replies, “I did.”
John 3:16 (NASB)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Jesus came and died on the cross for me, and that is enough! Jesus makes my heart joyful! My joy comes from my Lord and Savior! Praise God and His unfailing love!
Psalm 62:1-2 (HCSB)
1 I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from Him.
2 He alone is my rock
and my salvation,
my stronghold;
I will never be shaken.
1 Peter 1:6-9 (HCSB and NLT)
You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith– [which is] more valuable than gold, which [gold] perishes though refined by fire [NLT: (Your faith) is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold– though your faith is far more precious than mere gold] may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ [NLT: when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world] You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
And if that isn’t enough, my Lord, the God Almighty, showers his unending, unconditional, eternal love on us every day. His endless grace shows us mercy every day and fills our lives with blessings and it is good.:)
Lamentations 3:22-24 (HCSB)
22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
24 I say: The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put
my hope in Him.
I resolve to be joyful every day because God is with me. I will dance like a woman after God’s own heart. May God bless you. Thanks for walking with me.
With love,
Ashley