How You Can Have A Healthy Joy-Filled Soul Now
How’s your soul? Would you say you have a healthy joy-filled soul?
Rev. George Whitefield wrote…
“I was delivered from the burden that had so heavily suppressed me. The spirit of mourning was taken from me, and I knew what it was to truly rejoice in God my Savior.”
That’s the message of Jesus.
The burden of our sins, which heavily suppresses us, can be forgiven because Jesus lived, died, and rose again to suffer the punishment you and I deserve. And because He did, we can say in every situation and circumstance…
It is well with my soul.
Having a healthy joy-filled soul through faith and forgiveness is counterintuitive to the world’s way of thinking.
The enemy wants us to believe we need power, popularity, and possessions to be happy and successful. Then he uses the world to tell us we need to be self-empowered with positive attitudes and determined actions to make those things a reality.
Norman Vincent Peale said it this way…
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.”
But the Lord wants more for us than success and happiness, He wants us to live peaceful joy-filled days through faith in Jesus.
John Piper defines it like this…
“Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world.”
It’s the Holy Spirit that gave James the ability to say…
When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2–4
A joy-filled soul is focused on Jesus. It’s not temporary happiness dependent upon us getting what we want. It is the peace and contentment of confidence knowing that Jesus is greater than our circumstances.
5 Blessings of Having a Healthy Joy-filled Soul
♥ Knowing you are loved when you don’t feel lovable.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love . . . nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37–39
♥ Experiencing peace when life is in turmoil.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
♥ Having hope when the journey is hard.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
Romans 5:5
♥ Encountering strength when you feel weak.
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Isaiah 40:28–29
♥ And embracing lasting JOY in Jesus.
I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
John 15:9–11
Let’s pray…
A Prayer Asking God for the Blessings of
A Healthy Joy-Filled Soul
Father, thank you for offering me everything I need to have a healthy joy-filled soul. You are so gracious and loving. I’m foolish and easily frustrated but Your Word tells me that You love me and when I come to You in repentance You faithfully forgive me. I am truly sorry for failing to trust and obey You. Please help me glorify You with all I say and do.
Thank you for sending Jesus who makes forgiveness possible and for the wonderful way He showed us the beauty of who You are. Thank you for Your Spirit who faithfully fills my heart with the TRUTH of Your grace, mercy, and love.
Thank you for faithfully loving me even when I don’t feel lovable. Thank you for blessing my life and giving me peace, strength, and joy when I am unsettled, weak, and discouraged.
By Your grace, please fill my soul with joy. Bless me with healthy attitudes and actions. Help me remember that Your grace is sufficient whatever my circumstances and Your power is at work in me even when I feel weak.
May I SEEK You daily confident that with You in my life “it is well with my soul.” In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Elisabeth Eliott wrote…
“The world looks for happiness through self-assertion. The Christian knows that joy is found in self-abandonment. ‘If a man will let himself be lost for My sake,’ Jesus said, ‘he will find his true self.’ (Matthew 16:25)
May we surrender ourselves completely to our Lord and Savior trusting Him to give us everything we need including a healthy joy-filled soul.
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Deb, thank you SO much for these Love Notes. I truly count you as one of my finest blessings. I pray that you are doing well. Merry Christmas!
Oh Deb, there is nothing like the joy filled peace that we find only with God. If everyone could feel it just once, how could they ever want to be without it? There is nothing like it to be found here on earth! Thank you, Deb! For always sharing your joy in God with us! May your cup of joy runneth over always! Sweet love to you, sweet friend!
You’re so right, Kathy. Once you have experienced His peace and joy, you just can’t imagine living without it. I am thankfully amazed at the loving way His has carried me through this year. I need Him every moment of every day. Love you, dear friend! Blessings!
You are so kind, Holly! Thank you much!! You are a blessing to me. Hearing from all of you brightens every day. God’s blessings to you and Merry Christmas!
I want to be able to say daily that it is well with my soul. Thanks for the inspiration today, Deb. Blessings!
Me too, Martha! By grace alone it is well with the souls of His children. What a gracious and good God we serve. Blessings and hugs, dear friend!
I love the song “All is Well with My Soul!” I would love for that to always be true. I do know that I love the Lord, and my most peaceful moments come from time with Him. Thank you for this lovely post. I love the quotes, and the prayer was especially beautiful and one I need to read on a daily basis. You are the best, my friend!!
My sweet friend, Sue, I so pray that your joy walking with God, will bring all the peace your heart so longs for, and your sweet soul so deserves. I saw your last post that you were thinking of me, and it made my day and melted my heart! You are such a wonderful and caring friend and my joy in your friendship is indeed a blessed gift to me! I am keeping you close in my heart always! Praying God’s love and joy and peace are surrounding your heart today and always! Blessings of love across the miles to you!
Thank you, Kathy. I am so glad to hear from you. It is a busy season and lots to do, but I still take the time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas as well as family and friends. You are a good friend, and I don’t take that lightly. I appreciate you. I hope that you have had time to slow down some and the house renovations are done. May God bless you and Ken this Holiday Season with lots of love, health, and safety. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Much Love to You, Sue
Thank you, dear friend. We do need the Lord every moment. I can’t imagine trying to do life without Him. Thanks for encouraging me. I know we’re both leaning heavily on Jesus and what a blessing to know that’s exactly what He wants us to do. Blessings and hugs to you!