Three Things You Want to Know

You can own it, but you can't buy it.

You can find it, but you can't hide it.

You can share it, but you can't store it.

It is contagious, outrageous, and gracious. It is yours for the taking and yours for the giving!

Do you know the answer? JOY!

Pure joy. Overflowing, spilling over the rim, God-given joy! You cannot buy it. You cannot hide it. You cannot store it. But you can own it. You can find it. You must share it.

Here is what you want to know about JOY!

1. First, you will never be able to buy joy, no matter how rich you may be. However, you can own it every single day. Our Lord gives it freely. "You make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11 (ESV) It is yours for the taking.

You can have joy even in the hard seasons of life. Paul writes in First Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” “Rejoicing always” does not mean we are to paste a fake smile on our faces no matter what is going on in our lives or of those we love. It means that we are to remain steadfast in our knowledge that God is our strength and comfort, no matter our circumstances.

Second, you can find it, but you will not be able to hide it. Joy is different from happiness. True joy comes for the Lord. The world's joy is a pale imitation of the true joy from our Lord. The joy of an unbeliever is a temporary happiness that comes and goes depending on the happenings of her life. If things are going well, there is happiness. When things are difficult, there is no happiness.

However, the joy of the Lord is peace and confidence found in Him when life is good, but also when walking in a difficult season. Your grace and joy will shine within you. Others will see your attitude and will be drawn to it.

As you shine like a light, you will be set apart from those around you. You cannot hide this kind of joy. It will grow inside and bubble up within you to overflowing onto those in your realm of influence.

Jesus taught, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5: 14-15

Third, you can share it, but you can't keep it. You cannot hoard this joy because you will want to share it. You will want others to experience the same joy within you. It will overflow from your life unto others, as the Lord fills you up again and again. You will not want to keep your joy for yourself. It must be shared.

During the reign of Hezekiah, the Israelites rededicated themselves to God and we read, “So there was a great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 30:26 ESV) The people’s renewed commitment to God reignited the joy in their hearts that only He can give. It was not for only one person. It was shared and spread throughout all the land. It multiplied and grew like never before.

Today, I share this wonderful joy that is overflowing in my life. You can own it but you can't buy it. You can find it, but you can't hide it. You must share it for you can't hoard it.

I pray Romans 15:13 over my heart and yours,. “May the God of hope fill you (us) with all joy and peace as (you and I) trust in Him, so that you (we) may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

I wish you all the Joy the Lord has for you today! Sweet Blessings!