Scripture: "If you keep my commandments and obey my teaching, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that my joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing." John 15:10-12

Reflection: Are you joyful? Not happy. Joyful? It's easy to feel happy, but more challenging to remain joyful, isn't it? That's because feeling happy is temporal. It's situational. Joy on the other hand is eternal and steady. Joy is not dependent upon circumstances, but rather fully dependent upon deep communion and relationship with Jesus. The closer we are to the Lord, the more we desire obedience. The Word tells us that the greater our obedience, the greater our joy. Obedience precedes joy. Our level of joy directly corresponds to our obedience to and love for the Father. The greater our love for the things of God and His glory, the greater our complete, full, and overflowing joy. Isn't that an amazing truth?

Prayer: Lord, I desire to live with true joy. Thank you for the truth of your Word that helps me understand that my joy is found in relationship with you alone. Lord, when I'm tempted to accept mere happiness in trade for joy, will you reveal that to me? I know that my happiness is simply an emotion that comes and goes with circumstances. I thank you for the blessings in my life that do make me happy, but when those things are shaken, help me to be so rooted in your ways that I remain in unshakable joy. Lord, I ask for strength to be diligently and quickly obedient to what you ask of me, knowing that your ways are high above my own and that in you and your love, my true joy is found. In Jesus name, I pray, amen.