In today’s episode, the guys discuss what it means to walk in joy. To begin, they clarify the difference between happiness and joy. While happiness is fleeting and comes from circumstances, joy is objective and transcends circumstances. When Heaven is the prime object of our rejoicing, it is impossible for anything to steal our joy. A perfect example of this is in Luke chapter 10, when the apostles were rejoicing even though the demons were subject to them, because their names were written in Heaven. We can never know what tomorrow on this earth will bring, but we can rejoice nevertheless knowing that our salvation lies in Heaven. We must remember not to be governed by circumstances, but instead by what is written in God’s Word.
For anyone in our lives who may currently be experiencing immense suffering, the guys advise that we lend a listening ear and a helping hand to that person. This can be as simple as picking their kids up from school or dropping off a meal for them. Then, when the time is right, it is important that we give them the opportunity to speak up. Rather than asking someone if they have moved on yet, we should instead ask what they have done to move forward or how we may be able to help them along their journey. People need to be reminded that there are always others thinking about them and caring for them.
It is not only circumstances that can rob us of our joy. Sometimes, Ray shares, it can be for no reason at all. This is when we must be almost mechanical in pulling our soul up by its bootstrings and remembering all of the blessings we have in our lives. It is easy to become distracted by the busyness of our lives that we forget that we have ultimately been adopted by God into the Kingdom of Heaven. We are reminded that the pathway to joy is through God’s presence and remembering our standing in the eternal. Through the blood of Jesus Chirst, we have been adopted by God as heirs to His Kingdom and are in need of nothing. We must fight for our own joys in life by pursuing the Lord and entering His presence. When we truly rejoice in our own salvation, we can’t help but want to tell others about that same thing.
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