Joy – Musings of the Heart

“Be joyful always; pray continually;” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 (NIV)

Where do we find joy? Where do we find peace? It is a universal desire that humanity yearns to posses; that we may find these things in abundance in our lives. Philosophers throughout human history have sought to find the key to obtaining that unshakable joy and calm which we all seek. Some say it is through living the moral life, others through the accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of pleasure. Still others claim that lasting human happiness can be achieved through the creation of a harmonious society where all live in equality and unity. The reality however, is that societies rise and fall, wealth and pleasure are fleeting, and living a truly moral life is seemingly impossible; all because of the fallen state of ourselves and the world around us.

We were created for one purpose alone, to live in relationship with God. In His eternity, man’s hope was secure, and in His goodness man’s joy was complete. However, because of our sinful nature, we are separated from God and with that separation our eternal joy and peace is lost. Yet it is in God’s plan to mend this broken relationship we have with Him. He sees that sin has only wrought misery and insecurity upon our souls and wants to restore our hope and bliss. When we accept Christ’s redemptive sacrifice for us and allow Him to dwell within our hearts, we not only have a restored relationship with Him, but our relationship with Him is direct and personal. Being in relationship with Christ is the key to true happiness and peace. As He enables us to live according to His righteousness we are free from the degrading control of sin. When we invest in that relationship through prayer and allowing His Word to permeate our minds, we will find that in Him we are made complete and that nothing can take away the hope we have through Him.

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The Key to Joy