Matters of the Heart and Soul Joy and Contentment It is fitting that this topic of joy and contentment comes last in this Bible study series titled Matters of the Heart because joy is typically present in our lives when all the other spiritual disciplines discussed in the previous lessons are operating on a consistent basis. Joy abounds when we: Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength. Live life with our biblical priorities in order. Have an effective worship and prayer life paired with consistent communication with our Savior. Serve God in our spiritual giftedness as vessels of honor. As we forgive others easily and love people unconditionally. JOY ABOUNDS when we live a life of obedience!!! I believe the depth of consistent joy increases as you mature in Christ and live all out for Him and His glory. When God is your focus and your heart s desire is to try and please Him above everything else, even above your own desires, you will be a recipiant of pure, spirit filled, unearthly type JOY! There is nothing as inviting as a person filled with the twin characters of joy and peace! I believe it is one of the greatest testaments a believer can own to God s goodness to mankind. God draws people to Him through those who exude His love; contagious joy drips from their attitudes and others can t help but want to be around them. It s like flies to honey; the sweetness is hard to deny. It s so rare these days to come across a person that is totally content in life, isn t it? We all seem to be in pursuit of something futuristic to be happy. Just one more thing Bottom line, deep seated, unwavering joy is almost extinct. Why shouldn t forgiven, cleansed, spirit filled, redeemed, declared righteous believers, be the most content people on earth? We should be, shouldn't we? Where does the joy go? Why do we have it some days, and then at other times we feel like life is a monotonous walk through the mud, putting one foot in front of the other. It s such a chore to get through the day. This week s lesson will be about what real joy is, where to find it 1
and how to keep it. Don t believe that after this little study the struggle or pursuit of joy will be over, oh no! Joy is something we pursue until we go to be with Jesus in our Father s house! When we finally arrive on the heavenly doorstep, the pursuit will be over because Jesus will be there right in front of us! We will live with Him, the perfect One, forever and ever and ever in eternity that is the culmination of all JOY, but for now we must seek Him, and the joy of the Lord will be the outcome of the pursuit. The definition of joy is an inner peace, because of salvation, regardless of your earthly circumstances. That s important! Read it again, please. It would be good to memorize that line. If you will notice, nothing is said about being happy. The definition speaks to a groundedness due to the reality of salvation. It has little to do with anything earthly. Happiness, on the other hand is a state of mind. Webster's says, Happiness is an experience that makes you happy; good fortune. Joy doesn t have much to do with your earthly circumstances. You can have joy and be poor; you can have joy and have special needs; you can have joy and be terminally ill; you can have joy and have financial trouble. You can have joy in the midst of any trying circumstance because joy isn t about good fortune. Joy comes from knowing you are right with God, your Creator, and you are right in the middle of His will for your life. That is what brings true unadulterated joy. It s sad to say, but Americans are some of the most rich, influential people in the world, yet we are among the most miserable. Suicide rates are increasing; both street drugs and prescription drug use is at an all time high. The depressed are looking for a pill to make life manageable, tolerable. As a business owner, I know it s difficult for Brad and me to hire at times just because we can t find people who can pass a drug test. It s so sad. This world has been sold a bill of goods. Satan (the deceiver of this world) has convinced them that something of this world can bring them happiness and contentment, and the lie goes round and round. Nothing of this world can bring real joy. True joy cannot be obtained apart from a relationship with Jesus. King Solomon discovered this truth centuries ago. He was the richest man on earth! Donald Trump's portfolio was peanuts compared to his, yet Solomon said, What lasting result, or profit has a man from all his labor?. All and he meant ALL is vanity and like chasing 2
after the wind! (Ecc. 1: 3, 14) The world s trinkets cannot give long lasting joy. Joy comes when things are right in your soul. The world s trinkets can t fix that ache to be right with your Creator, which is the ache in the heart of every soul. Where do we find real joy? 1. The first place we find joy is in our salvation. A man/woman apart from God will never know real peace/joy. We are called to pursue righteousness (being right with God), peace and joy. If we will pursue these three, what are we promised? Romans 14:17 19 a. What else should cause the believer to be filled with joy? Luke 10:20 For with the heart, one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Oh how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. (Rom. 10:10, 13, 15) I could add to that, how beautiful are those who preach the gospel of JOY, who bring glad tidings of good things. (such as salvation in Christ alone!) 2. The result of salvation is joy and peace. After time, that joy can dwindle if we begin to focus on worldly things and aren t in constant pursuit of eternal things and the will of God in our life. King David wrote a wonderful Psalm describing how the Lord meant everything to him. Listen to David s words and note just how in touch with God he really was. You, Oh lord are my portion, my inheritance and my cup. You maintain my lot. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of JOY. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:5, 8, 11) 3
David was a rich King. David had it all from the world s standards: money, power, privilege, popularity, and just like King Solomon he understood that nothing in this world could give you real joy like relationship with God and being obedient to His ways. a. The key here written by King David is In Your presence is fullness of JOY. We find joy by what we are able to receive in the presence of God. We receive things in the presence of God we cannot obtain anywhere else! What kinds of things do we receive from God as we spend time in worship and prayer with him? How do these alleviate stress and add joy? What can come from time in His presence? Peace Read through Philippians 4:4 9. Paul says to learn to do these things and the peace of God will be with you. What things? Joy cannot come unless you are first at peace with God. Attitude is everything! You cannot be at peace with God and be frustrated with the way He has handled your life at the same time. Have you stepped back from God a little bit because of something He has allowed in your life? When He adds or takes away, the challenge is to be able to say, Blessed be the name of the Lord or It is well with my soul. I can see why the writers of these great lyrics swelled with crushing emotion as they wrote the lyrics to these songs. It is so difficult to follow God down into the pit and then trust Him there. The little voice in your head questions whether God will drop you and leave you in your state of agony. God will not leave you but use your pain for something more glorious! The benefit of any trial is the maturing of character that comes to our lives through the process of walking into the pit with God. The gift that remains is the joy we find through the process. We learn what it really means to be content (really OK) no matter what the circumstances in life. We surprisingly discover we can really say, Even though this is super 4
painful or overwhelming at the present, I have salvation, and for that reason, and maybe that reason alone, I am going to be OK. I know in the end I win! That, my friend, is a huge revelation to the believer. It is a genuine mark of maturity. When Christians can stand with God when He adds and when He takes away, you know they are genuine followers of Christ they are the real deal. b. In God s presence we receive peace, hope, renewed forgiveness and a satisfied soul. We slide in on our knees and talk to God. We have the opportunity to experience the great exchange! I give Him all my stress, what concerns me, my fears, my troubles, and He gladly takes them; in exchange He gives me, the peace of God, hope, He dismisses my fear, my heart settles into a place of contentment and joy returns where fear evacuated. What a deal! I can walk away with the peace and joy of the Lord because I have spent time with God. There is nothing like it. It s priceless. Oh, Oh, Oh He can fill your soul like nothing earthly can!! Can you slide in on your knees to God; can you give him all your troubles? Could you allow Him to manage that one thing? You know that one thing that is so broken? He wants you to know He can handle that one thing. Listen to what He says about that one thing that one hard thing. Proverbs 3:5 8 He will handle it and through it bring you strength. Genesis 18:14a. God has your back. Psalm 57:3 He protects those He loves. Deuteronomy 32:4 God will not let injustice overtake you. Isaiah 14:24 We can be assured God will perform His will. No matter what or who comes up against us, God will have His way. No man can stop God s purpose. 5
Hopefully those Scriptures/promises gave you some confidence that God is fully capable of running your life. Go with Him. Stay with Him. He knows what He is doing! Confidence comes from time in His presence. Freedom, peace, confidence and joy come knowing you are in God s will. Confidence is knowing God's in control; it's a deep assurance He will not drop you. He understands what concerns you, and He is working on your behalf to bring about a successful outcome that brings glory to His name. This confidence is one of the gifts you receive from spending time with Him in His presence, praying and reading His Word. c. If you want favor with both God and man and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely. Don t ever trust yourself. (Prov. 3:5 6) There are times when the best answer is to hide yourself under the shadow of His wings while the storm blows overhead. Psalm 62:8 * To suffer for Christ is a privilege; it is an opportunity to demonstrate beyond mistake where your loyalties lie. Our response to a loving and protective God should be Psalm 63:3 and Psalm 63:4 8. Write your thoughts below. 3. Let s look up some promises in Scripture that should add to our JOY. Romans 8:28 the staple of the Christian life. Write it out memorize it! 6
Which things work out for your good according to that verse? Is it only the good things? It s that three letter word. When we get to heaven, we will understand why your mother died of cancer, or why you had a miscarriage when it took you years to get pregnant, or why you went through the pain of divorce, or why God allowed that person to do to you what they did to you. Why did that have to happen? God is sovereign, and God knows. One day in heaven He will show you, and you will understand like He understands now. It will all be set right that day, and with that knowledge you will bow once again because you will know for certain it was for His glory. James 1:2 When you face a trial count it as a privilege! When you face a trial, just imagine God has just signed you up to go to school. The class you are taking is titled, How to deepen your faith in Christ, grow in maturity and bring glory to God. In this class God is going to show you how to have a calm inner strength during the toughest times of your life. He is building you up. He is making you the Christian you always wanted to be, and when you graduate from this class, you will hardly even recognize yourself because you will have a totally different walk with God than you did before the trial (class). You, my friend, are going to be different better deeper in Jesus! God never leaves anything unfinished, undone or incomplete. He will never leave you alone or unprotected. His eye is always on YOU. He never turns His face. You are always in his line of sight! Romans 8:35 37 Do you see yourself as a conqueror like Christ does? Why? Why not? Psalm 37:28 The Lord loves justice. He is your advocate. JOY JOY!!!!! 7
The pain of this life you may be experiencing right now will not last forever. This is not the end of the story. Go with God and allow Him to show you the next chapter! Psalm 17:8 Hide me Lord. Keep me safe. 4. There are some counterfeit places to try and find joy and contentment. I am going to list some for you that I have found to be true. You will not be able to find joy: In another person In having more stuff In food, alcohol, drugs, travel or pleasure In power or full control Joy and contentment are developed over time with a right relationship with God, in believing His promises to you are true, and obedience to His word. We will miss contentment if: Something other than food/clothing/shelter becomes essential. If having more money than we make somehow becomes a fixation. Keeping rather than releasing becomes our objective. 5. Joy is a sign of a fruitful, Spirit filled life. Galatians 5:22 25 God can create in us what we cannot manufacture in ourselves. These verses describe Holy Spirit living. When we live our days filled with the Holy Spirit of God, we manifest these Godly character traits. Can you list them? 8
Underline the ones that seem to be present in your life today. Circle the ones that seem to be absent in your life today. Thoughtfully look over the circled words on this page. Do they have something in common? Is there sin in your life that quenches the Spirit from manifesting these Godly attitudes in you? Is there a woundedness in your heart that has you so broken you cannot be what you wish you could be? Explain. Spend some personal time with God in His presence. Allow the Lord to draw you unto Himself. Confess your selfishness to Him. Confess your self sufficiency to Him. Repent of anger, bitterness and resentment. Feel the softness of His voice as He speaks to you as an endearing Father. Feel His loving, warm embrace. See His pleasure in YOU. Drink in His peace as you allow Him to lift all anxiety and frustration from you. Feel your shoulders lighten, sit up and set your eyes upon Jesus. Allow Him to have permission to redeem this situation that is causing you so much anxiety for His glory in any way He chooses. Walk away with His peace; allow the Joy of the Lord to be your steadfast strength, knowing you are right with God, and even in the middle of these circumstances, it is well with your soul because you are right with God. There are so many wonderful things that come from human pain and suffering. Just as Paul said in Romans 8:28, All things work to the good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim s Progress from prison. Martin Luther King wrote A Letter in a Birmingham Jail in prison. Apostle Paul penned the Book of Philippians from a dark Roman dungeon. So much pain was felt by the writer, but so much good came from the pain, so many people blessed by the fruit of that pain. Your life will reflect those Godly principles just as John Bunyan s, Martin Luther s or Paul s. Your life story may not affect large numbers such as theirs, but God will use your story too to add to His Kingdom and encourage those who come after you. Someone at this moment will be eternally affected by how you handle this trial (this time of schooling). 9
Allow God to fill you with His joy (inner peace regardless of the circumstances). A true saint exaggerates what the world neglects. The world neglects the notion that we need God; they believe the power for success is within them. You live as if you cannot take your next breath without Him, and watch God be all that you need Him to be. Someone once said, Show me your redeemed life, and I might be inclined to believe in your redeemer. Live your life pursuing God, pursuing JOY, and God will use your circumstances to be a light to a dark world. Stand in hope and faith when everyone around you is watching. God will strengthen feeble knees and hold up weak arms so He may be exalted in the end. THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH! Through it all, through it all my eyes are on you through it, through it all, it is well. through it all, through it all, my eyes are on you. It is well, it is well it is well with me! 10