Free To Be JOYFUL

Nothing means more to me than spending time each morning with God reading a devotional and meditating on His Word. I’m blessed to have the freedom and flexibility to spend long hours with Him seeking wisdom and answers to numerous prayers. Beyond our Quiet Time, though, I wonder how many of us struggle to find the time to relax and have a little fun.

Have you ever felt like God was stirring the childlike part of you to do something a little silly? Something that, perhaps, you’d feel quite comfortable doing with a child, but as an adult you’re not so sure.

My sweetheart and I have experienced those times more lately, and I have to say the snowman building and soccer ball kicking and badminton playing have served our hearts well giving us ample opportunity to laugh while we played with the added benefit of aerobic activity. There’s no quicker way to find out just how out of shape you are until you try to jump and run and kick a ball for more than a few minutes.

In the grand list of spiritual “fruit” found in book of Galations, the fruit, or expression, of JOY is named second after the fruit of LOVE. That tells me that joy is a pretty important gift to express and share with others. If it’s the love of Jesus that attracts people to Him, it makes sense to me that the joy of Jesus helps us enjoy and refresh one another as we endure the routines and challenges of life. And, when we shine the love and JOY of the Lord, the world takes note.

My challenge to you today is to add something to your life each day that brings you, and the people around you, joy. Be a little silly. Act like a child. Post a funny pic. Write a rhyme. Sing. Dance. Laugh, Have fun!

There IS freedom in Christ, and God is so pleased when we express that freedom with joy!