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Chasing joy (Nehemiah 8:10b)

Scripture of the Day: Nehemiah 8:10b

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (note: the word "strength" used in Hebrew means "refuge, stronghold, fortress, place of protection")

Joy is a tough one for me to figure out sometimes. This past weeks bible study has made me focus on the topic and Kelly Minter sums my problem out for me quite nicely, "Obtaining joy felt much like trying to catch a butterfly with a torn net-- I could never quite get at it. The problem was not so much the net but that I was chasing the wrong butterfly. I ran around grasping and striving for pleasure and happiness while joy just perched there quietly on my shoulder as if to say, 'Hey...I'm right here.'"

What butterflies do you chase trying to find joy? Several things could be added to pleasure and happiness...we chase after the love of our lives, having children, "enough" money, quality time, material goods, being the "right" kind of Christian and lots of other butterflies - all trying to find some version of joy, or some kind of feeling of completion.

And really, we don't need to search at all. What makes God happy? You. How joyful is God when you seek him, pay attention to His teaching, and try to live your life according to His will? Crazy joyful. What is the outcome of seeking God this way? Strength in the form of God being your refuge, your protection, your safe haven.

In short, I think the way to find joy for yourself is to make God happy. Under his terms...not the worlds. In the quote above, I picture God as a little bird perched on my shoulder, whispering in my ear, "I'm right here. Seek me and through my own joy, you will find yours."

Friends, let's go take advantage of the joy that is sitting on our shoulders. He is there, just waiting for you!

Have a blessed day!  

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