Spontaneous Joy

Many years ago before I really KNEW Christ and All that I could have in knowing HIM my joy was based on my surroundings and situation. I did not know the meaning to REAL Joy, especially Spontaneous Joy. I Came to realize as Christ made it known to me, that I allowed these things to control my JOY and Peace. I was not yet equipped enough with God's Word to understand there were other ways to live. That changed in time. Back then my perspective was not a healthy one, at least not yet! As I learned more, things I saw of myself, I didn't like, thank GOD He was patient with me. I desperately sought approval and acceptance from everyone, not realizing my value in God. Nor had I even realized the amount of pain and anger I held in my heart, because of circumstances in my life that had cause me to hurt in my heart so deeply. It stole my identity, my youthfulness, my innoncense and my trust at a young child. The pain that was inflicted on me from another person controlled my life because not only did I feel my value decrease but others treated me as if it had. My lack of confidence projected outwardly and satan used that to hurt me all the more. Because of this pain I viewed my value as next to nothing, this too controlled my joy as well. The dreams in my life for my life dissapeared.
BUT, and I MEAN BUT! When Jesus Got a hold of my heart, He began a process of tearing down strongholds and walls, healing my heart's core and my minds perspective and slowly yet instanteously, the JOY began to build! There was a release!! I felt FREE from the walls that had entrapped me for so many years. There was this fluttering happy feeling rising up in my heart, WHERE Did it come from? There was nothing really new in my surroundings nor my situation, so I knew it had to be Jesus! The more I read His Word and discovered His Plans for me, the more JOY bubbled up in my heart. Then there were these moments after reading a certain passage or hearing a Word through a song or a person, where the JOY would Spike so High, I wanted to shout and sing!! In my alone time there have been moments where Shouts of God's Praises occured very loudly! Before Jesus, although I wanted acceptance from people, I feared people. Keeping my distance so that I wouldn't be hurt. My fear controlled my joy. Are you getting a pattern here? Then I met a lady, kids called her Ms. Chocolate, she was teaching our church kids at a kids camp. She said a few things that were very profound and has become a part of my foundation in my walk with Christ. First, she placed a piece of Candy in the palm of her hand, and she told the kids [me] that we were secure in the palm of God's hand, and us being rooted in God's Word and secure in our Faith, nothing could shake us out of God's Hand. She pressed that candy in the center of her palm cupping the candy and shook her hand, and it stayed put! She said see "Nothing can shake you out of God's Hand!" I felt another piece of the wall fall from around my heart, it was throbbing like a rush of Water was cleansing out more hidden pain. God revealed to me at that time that things could shake my world, but if I knew I was grounded in HIM, I could still stand in Peace and Joy. Then Ms Chocolate taught the kids how to handle pain being inflicted on us. She explained for us to think of having a white table before GOD, and all that we do is on our tables. Good and Bad. And She asked, "What do you want on your table?" Now with that thought, she said, when others do you harm, that is on their table before GOD and They have to answer for that to Him, just as you have to answer to HIM for whats on Your Table! WOW! This lesson for children was touching my heart so much. I felt myself recalling past hurts and dealing with them. Then she said, now when someone hurts you they have to answer for that, it's on their table. Now the way you respond to that hurt, is on your table before GOD. Want to say Profound? I felt more of the wall around my heart crumble and it began to throb even more, the Holy Spirit was doing His Word inside of me. Now this occured back in 1999, there have been WORLD SHAKING events in my life and it still is a prominent tool I use! Now,where does this fit into my JOY. Well John 16:22 states; "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." See Jesus told us here that we will have times of grief and also, we pocess our joy. He says, 'No one will take away Your Joy." This tells me, I pocess my joy, its not circumstantial unless I allow it to me. WOW! I pocess the power to maintain my JOY IN JESUS! Look at this scripture; “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13 Through the Power of the Holy Spirit that dwells inside of me, I am able to maintain a constant JOY within and there are times that it spills over and touches other's hearts. Then, I really experience that Spontaneous JOY in Jesus when He uses me to bless someone with His Love and JOY! Constant or Spontaneous, it's a JOY that I choose not to live without! It's an indescribable JOY! Thank YOU Lord, For that complete JOY we find in Your Presence! Psalm 16:11.

I pray that your joy be full and constant.