How to Lose Your Joy

GracetoYou.org ^ | 1993 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

"I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Phil. 4:11).

Discontent and ingratitude will steal your joy.

True joy is God's gift to every believer, yet many Christians seem to lack it. How can that be? Did God fail them? No. As with peace, assurance, and other benefits of salvation, joy can be forfeited for many reasons: willful sin, prayerlessness, fear, self-centeredness, focusing on circumstances, and lack of forgiveness are the main culprits.

Two of the most common joy-thieves are dissatisfaction and ingratitude. Both are by-products of the health, wealth, and prosperity mentality of our day. It has produced a generation of Christians who are more dissatisfied than ever because their demands and expectations are higher than ever. They've lost their perspective on God's sovereignty and have therefore lost the ability to give thanks in all things.

In marked contrast, when Jesus taught about contentment and anxiety (Matt. 6:25-34), He spoke of food and clothing—the basic necessities of life. But preferences, not necessities, are the issue with us. We're into style, personal appearance, job satisfaction, earning power, bigger homes, and newer cars. In the name of greater faith we even demand that God supply more miracles, more wealth, and more power.

Amid all that, Paul's words sound a refreshing note of assurance and rebuke: "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Phil. 4:11). He made no demands on God but simply trusted in His gracious provision. Whether he received little or much made no difference to him. In either case he was satisfied and thankful.

Don't be victimized by the spirit of our age. See God's blessings for what they are and continually praise Him for His goodness. In doing so you will guard your heart from dissatisfaction and ingratitude. More important, you will bring joy to the One who is worthy of all praise.

Suggestions for Prayer

Pray that the Holy Spirit will produce in you a joy and contentment that transcends your circumstances. Make it a daily practice to thank God for specific blessings and trials, knowing that He uses both to perfect His will in you. For Further Study

Read 1 Kings 18:1—19:8.

How did Elijah deal with the false prophets of Baal? How did he deal with Jezebel's threat? What caused Elijah's shift from a spiritual high to a spiritual low?

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[duckman]

“•Pray that the Holy Spirit will produce in you a joy and contentment that transcends your circumstances.”
This has helped me. At 75 and being widowed after a 43 year marriage, I have started to let ‘circumstances’ control my joy.

[SkyPilot]

Bless you.

We all do that, allow circumstances to control our joy.

I have know extraordinarily wealthy people who were absolutely miserable. And I have seen people who should be happy, but are not.

Losing a spouse after so many years, and grieving, is not a selfish or sinful act. I believe God meant for us to grieve over such things. We can find gratitude in the years we have had with loved ones, and that brings us back to Him.

[Elsie]

How to Lose Your Joy

David lost his. He wanted it back.

---

Psalm 51 (NIV)

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
¹⁵ Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

¹⁸ May it please you to prosper Zion,
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
    in burnt offerings offered whole;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

[metmom]

I think we all do.

Most of my family is dealing with significant health issues and there is no good outcome for mine.

It’s hard to keep your joy, especially hearing the constant drumbeat by the name it and claim it crowd of what they think God’s will for my life is.

[metmom]

I think we all do.

Most of my family is dealing with significant health issues and there is no good outcome for mine.

It’s hard to keep your joy, especially hearing the constant drumbeat by the name it and claim it crowd of what they think God’s will for my life is.

There’s nothing quite like getting blamed for a debilitating illness that you have no control over.

[BipolarBob]

My lifes observation, regardless of your status, wealth (or lack there of), health or anything else, comparing what others have in regard to what you have brings nothing but grief.

[metmom]

That is true.

And honestly, who in this country is in any position to complain about what they are lacking?

We live in the safest, cleanest, most free and prosperous country with luxuries that the rest of the world can only dream of, this world has ever seen.

We have an over abundance of food, great medical care, unlimited educational opportunities, time for leisure and time to be bored.

And we complain.

[mythenjoseph]

It is so easy to focus upon what we experience and what is occurring rather than taking into account the abundance we all have . I every so often have to remind myself the of the miracles and blessings God has set upon me . Never forget that satan will utilize any opening to break you down and weaken your faith . God knows all and gives all , so when the time arises and you feel lowly just look at the mile long list of blessings that you do have and let the peace and JOY of Gods love calm you so that we can seek the grace and love of God .We are nothing but children at any point in our lives . Praise to God and his son for his sacrifice for us sinners , and never doubt the influence of the helper . Thank you Metmom for all of your posts !

[ncpatriot]

Don’t complain, be grateful.

[excalibur21]

Thanks for posting.

[Ezekiel]

How to Lose Your Joy

David lost his. He wanted it back.<<<

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Samuel 30

11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

From Fox Newz....
Where can you find information about raisins that commit adultery?
Currant Affairs

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3817071/posts?page=87#87

David Seeds, "An American Original"

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.

Let Earth Receive her King!

Nothing like a little salt and light!

There you go. Nobody finds my studies the least bit fun and joyful, but I press on.

Goy to the World!

[Ezekiel]

If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn
(Oh you do!)
You mean that it's just my election
(Just that!)
To vote for a chance to be reborn

Put One Foot in Front of the Other

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 1970

Zante Claus is coming to town. I'm just raisin awareness.

"Christmas in July":

Bad news for the crypt keepers!

[metmom]

What are you on?

Many of your posts make no sense but this one takes the cake.

[Ezekiel]

What are you on?

Many of your posts make no sense but this one takes the cake.

The joy that surpasses all understanding. Q.E.D.

I didn't bother to address my posts to you.

Here's what Elijah was up against:

Business As UsuAL

There's nothing new under the sun.

Jesus showed up as the maverick solution to business, and look what happened to him.

If the crucifixion weren't bad enough, it was a living parable that portrayed the 2000 years that were to follow.

Looking to the cross, it's not a pretty sight.

The man's visage has been so marred that he doesn't even resemble a man.

The wisdom of the wise is like Haman's gallows.

"How to Lose Your Joy"

Now there's a self-help manual that won't be found in the Kingdom of God, well save for a book burning or a single token specimen preserved in the Museum of Amalekite Antiquities of Ancient Torture, so that no one will forget.

Many of your posts make no sense...

Sure, from a certain type of perspective that is unwilling to leave that perspective, because from the conformity-consensus model of reasoning, there's nothing beyond except people on something repellent or downright dangerous. After all, one guy with the "wrong thinking" can destroy the established order.

Jesus was/is the anti-establishment troublemaker who brought down the house.

Great guy! I'm a big fan. He really knows how to light up a room full of the deepest darkness.

If the light within a person is darkness, how great is that darkness. Likewise, if the darkness within him is light, how great is that light!

There's no going back. It's a great view from here. It's the place where mountains really do fall into the sea, because that's exactly what happens when looking down from 40,000 ft. up.

Pffft.

As for why I pinged pastorbillrandles -- perhaps, just perhaps, there's a mustard seed lying around here somewhere that fell into a cup of good soil.

Phil predicted an early Spring. Word is, he's more wrong than right, but even a broken clock...

Which is funny, with so many people trying to discern the time of the end. It's the simple meaning.

[metmom]

Doesn’t matter if you posted them to me or not.

This is an open forum and if you post a comment on it, then ANYONE is free to respond..

And this post isn’t any better and it’s not got a thing to do with joy that surpasses all understanding or that you have some spiritual insight that others don’t have.

It’s just downright incoherent.

[imardmd1]

I was feeling bad, but now from this I feel like getting criticized for being kind of down and out of bounce on top of the rest.

Oh, well . . . . . I guess y'all gonna have to keep piling on the blame until it makes me jump with joy . . . .

[Elsie]

If ANYONE should have LOST his salvation; because of SIN; it was David.

But did he get his name blotted from the Book?

It appears not; as he did pray for his salvation to be returned; but that the JOY of his salvation be returned.

[Elsie]

Sure, from a certain type of perspective that is unwilling to leave that perspective, because from the conformity-consensus model of reasoning, there's nothing beyond except people on something repellent or downright dangerous. After all, one guy with the "wrong thinking" can destroy the established order.

Put down your thesaurus; step away and raise your hands.

We don't want no trouble here.