When everything seems dragging, compelling and you find yourself pushing yourself to the edge because you no longer enjoy what you’re doing for God, how do you bring it back ? How do you rekindle the passion, the energy that drove you before,that moment when you made a commitment to Him and you said yes , I will follow you Lord.
I’ve come to a point where I’m struggling how to fight for joy, in finding delight to Christ. I was more inclined the pleasures of the world, needless to say that has substitute to my satisfaction rather than in Christ. I find the spiritual things ( reading and studying the word of God ) no longer attractive. I felt it was an obligation and burdensome rather than a result of my obedience in delighting in him.
To quote what John Piper has said, “We all struggle with seasons of lukewarmness and spiritual numbness of heart. There are times in the lives of most godly people when spiritual hunger becomes weak and darkness threatens to consume the light and everything but the vaguely remembered taste of joy evaporates”.
Even the most righteous person or saint we know is being tested and we are not exempted.The enemy is always at work ready to devour us, to tempt us , to discourage us and to kill the joy in the hearts. He will not stop unless he get what he wants. He wants us to feel miserable, defeated, hopeless and the like. Cause we are always on a spiritual battle. And fighting for joy is a warfare appointed by God.
Joy in the Lord is not synonymous to the joy what people knows. Joy is more than a state of happiness not dependent on a circumstance or a pleasure we get from something. But the joy in the Lord was far more than this. Some christians would define it as having peace and contentment despite the turmoils and present afflictions. We see this kind of joy in this bible verse:
“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of afflic- tion, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have over- flowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.” (2 Cor. 8:1-4)
“I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness, because you notice my pain and you are aware of how distressed I am.” Psalm 31:7. Their joy wasn’t on the good circumstance or prosperity but rather it was during a severe test of affliction. It was rather conflicting. Browsing through an article about joy, I came across with these acronym : J-Jesus O -others Y-you. Real joy comes from Jesus and the fruit of it overflows as we share it with others and there we find contentment and satisfaction.
But how we do restore back the joy that was lost, the same joy that we’d experience the day when we met the Lord?
Restoring our joy means:
1. Rechecking our hearts
Let us assess and ask ourselves what cause for our joy to fade. What have been our joy-killers?
2. Repenting our sins
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Rejoicing / having joy is one of God's command and failure to obey it is sin.
"Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly! Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! " Psalm 32:11
Recognizing what cause it, we need to repent to God and ask him for forgiveness.
3. Renewing our commitment
We need to go back to our first love, who is Christ. If our love for him has grown cold then it is the best time to make up with him.
4. Reconnecting to God
Prayer is how we connect and communicate to God. It is the revealer of the heart. “How we pray reveals the desire of our heart. ” J. I. Packer
We need to ask for joy , which comes from God and he will give it.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive it, so that your joy may be complete. -John 16:24
Notice that the apostles prayed for joy in these verses:
Ps. 90:14, 51:8,51:12,90:15,85:6
5. Reading his word
We need to go back to the word of God, that only Him is the source of joy and that he promised it.
The word of God is , therefore the source of great and lasting joy. -John Piper
(In your presence, there is fullness of joy..Psalms 36:8)
11 I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.
6. Remain in him
It means our obedience. We have to abide in him in order to bear fruit. And one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is joy.
Realizing that fighting for joy is a battle that could be won by trusting and depending on God. We need not to fight with our might, our capability and vigor. All we have to do is accept the fact that only God can and is able to give us joy. It is a gift that we need not to earn but rather with humility and acceptance. As John Piper says it in his book, When I don’t desire God, ” we can’t produce it on our own. It must be given to us.”
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