Be Filled With Joy

Be Filled With Joy

What makes you happy? What are the things in life that help get you to that state of mind where you feel light and unrestrained? Can you think of the times that you feel that a burden has been lifted from you?

I imagine that the attitude of someone, other than yourself, helped to lift you from your depression. Possibly they said a kind word or just smiled and encouraged you. They may have done something considerate, or most likely it was just their attitude in general that set you free from the things that were dragging you down. Isn’t it amazing how the positive outlook of others can affect our own disposition?

Now I’d like you to stop and think about how your disposition affects others. You know it does, because others affect you. Are you displaying negative or positive feelings toward others? When they see you or are around you, can they feel the embrace of Christ? Do they understand the love that we know and share because of the sacrifice that has been made for us?

I realize that it is not always easy to be positive when the world is beating you down and nothing is going your way, but I’d like you to consider, as you go about your daily life influencing others, the disciples, as they were expelled from the region of Pisidian Antioch in Acts chapter 13. They were being persecuted so they shook the dust off of their feet and left. Now, here’s the part that doesn’t make sense, verse 52 says, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)

No wonder the early church was growing by leaps and bounds and so many wanted to be a part of it! Who wouldn’t want to be around people who could overcome such things and still have a positive outlook? Who wouldn’t want to have that kind of joy in their life? And, oh yeah, give me some of that Spirit that they were filled with. What a joy to serve such a God. What a privilege to be loved by such a Savior. And, what a blessing to be filled with such a wonderful helping Spirit.

Do we show others this joy in our lives, or do they see us being crushed by this world? I pray that what they see in us is what they saw in the disciples so many years ago.