PRAYING TO BE FILLED WITH JOY ON THE CHALLENGING DAYS

Full of Joy

So, here we are in summer – time when we hear the birds, see the flowers, feel warm breezes – almost impossible to not feel some joy on most days, wouldn’t you say?

I’m so grateful that on the days when the weather and circumstances don’t seem to contribute much to our ability to feel joy, we can experience what God called, “fullness of joy.”  How can we see that in our lives?

God’s Word tells us:

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.  Psalm 16:11

Loving God, we come to You because we want to know this way of joyful living.  Thank you for Your promise God that even though we don’t know how to find that way to joy on our own, that You know the way and You will show us the way of life that has You right beside us all the way bringing blessings that truly please us.

You’ve told us You want us to not just have flashes of joy but that You want us to be filled with joy and You explained to us how to get that kind of joy when You said:

When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 

John 15:10-11

Help us today to know and follow Your commands.  You so long for us to be filled with joy that You spelled things out clearly so we would know God’s will and You reminded us more than once that to know and do things God’s way would bring us joy. 

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 

1 Peter 1:8

We know we often stumble by looking more at our circumstances than at Your promises but we thank You that when we trust You, even though we may not understand all that You are doing, we will rejoice with a glorious and inexpressible joy.  That’s a level of joy that’s pretty hard to beat.

And when we do fall back into self-will and experience the difficulties that come, help us to turn back to You with hearts that are humble and seeking forgiveness.  Help us to pray:

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.  Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

Psalm 51:10-12

Now Lord, we simply ask that You, the God of hope fill us* with a joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit we* may abound in hope.  Romans 15:13

*pronouns changed to personalize

Let’s have a joy filled day!!