"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." - John 15:11

i'm having one of those mornings when i spend some time with god and get completely wrecked by something. this morning it's about joy. i had to stop maybe 2 paragraphs into my chapter in abide in christ because it was too much to handle. and i mean that in a good way. i love that god knows our hearts and meets us where we are. yes, that just happened.

if you know me you know i'm a pretty happy person. if i get annoyed by something i have a few people i share that with then i just go for a run or drive and i'm fine. but there's a difference between being happy and being filled with joy. i started this off by looking up what happy and joy mean. happy means feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation. joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness; a source or cause of great happiness. so, in a way, happiness is a product of joy. cool. so where is the difference?

the best place to see the difference is by looking at the source. when we get an A on that test we studied so hard for (or if you're like me when i was in school - crammed the night before and prayed for a miracle) we are happy. when that guy or girl sends you a text out of the blue just to ask about your day we get happy. when we get that drink for free at starbucks we get happy. and you know what? there's nothing wrong about being happy over these things. but what happens when we fail a test we spent so much time studying for? when we don't hear from that guy or girl? when we get overcharged for a drink? yeah, we aren't happy. and sometimes we let that dictate so much more than our actions. these thoughts start popping in our minds - if only i tried harder, if only i were prettier, if only i spoke up and so on and so on...we start believing those lies. we are no longer happy. why? the source of our happiness comes from imperfect and fleeting things. true joy on the other hand comes from a perfect source - jesus.

it was only with the resurrection and its glory that the power of the never changing life began, and only in it that the never ceasing joy could have its rise...the day of His crowning was the day of the gladness of His heart. that joy of His was the joy of a work fully and forever completed, the joy of the Father's bosom regained, and the joy of souls redeemed. these are the elements of His joy; of them the abiding in Him makes us partakers. his death and resurrection not only bring salvation and access to the father - they're also our source of true joy! when we are seeking other things (and not necessarily bad things...just not the one perfect thing to be seeking) we are trying to fill that space in our hearts only jesus knows how to satisfy. i believe that his joy is what he wants to use to fill that space. we have a role to play in all of this. i think it starts with us learning to daily abide with open hands ready to receive his joy.

abiding fully in Christ is a life of exquisite and overflowing happiness...joy is an essential characteristic of the life of the believer who fully abides in Christ. when we are abiding in christ with open hands we receive joy and have it to the full. that joy flows out of us. why? it's because we know the value of joy because we are doing life with the source who provides it. we know what we have really satisfies our hearts. we open up our hearts and let it satisfy. it takes work. it's not going to be easy. we need to trust that he will keep us abiding. we need to trust that that he will keep our hands open to receive the joy he provides for that day. we need to trust that what he gives is enough. then we will be confident that when we are walking in the midst of trials he is present and ready to extend his perfect joy to us.