Joy.

"For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands."   Psalms 92:4

Joy is a word that God has been challenging me a lot with lately, and actually has been for most of my life. I do not reckon it was any accident that my name is Victoria Joy, but rather God had a real purpose by naming me the name that He did.

One thing that I have been thinking about is how the word contentment is strongly linked with the word joy.  Many years ago during difficult time in my life, God used this verse in Philippians 4 to challenge me in a lot of ways, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity, in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled..” This is the joy that I desire to reflect, a joy that flows from a heart of contentment.

Also yesterday I was thinking about how much I want to come back to that “childlike” joy in Jesus. I want my joy in Christ to ooze out of me!  So often the past few weeks I can slip into “pity party mode” thinking my life is too overwhelming or abnormal. I think that it is okay for me to feel sorry for myself and so I have become “me focused”. But yet what a lie this is!

I have Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory, indwelling in me! But is it showing?! He has given me joy, all the joy I will ever need, but daily (each moment!) I need to choose to allow Christ to live through me!

Today I choose JOY.