Can't Take The Joy

I get daily devotionals from Jason Mitchener and I had to share this one! It is so true!!!!


Can't Take the Joy by Jason Mitchener

And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
John 16:22
Some friends of mine wrote a song called "Can't Take the Joy!" The song beautifully expresses one awesome truth about joy ... no one can take it from us.
Jesus told His disciples that when He left them for a little while, they would have great sorrow. But when they saw Him again, they would rejoice and no man could take their joy away from them. The disciples didn't realize at the time that He spoke of the sorrow of His death and the joy of His resurrection.
In John 15:11, Jesus said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
What He had just been speaking about is abiding in Him and obeying Him. As long as our hearts stay fixed on Jesus and we obey Him out of love, our joy will remain with us.
People may try to steal our joy. A husband may desert his wife. A friend may turn against us. A son or daughter may run away from home. A brother may lie to us. Situations like these could easily steal our joy. But if we keep looking to Jesus, they can't take the joy! It's when we take our eyes off Jesus, that our joy can be stolen.
Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus reminds us that no matter what other people may do, He will never desert us. He will never turn against us. He will never run away from us. He will never lie to us. Jesus will always be here for us and only truth comes from His lips.
The presence of joy is not dependent on the circumstances around us. It is dependent on Jesus.
You may be dealing with pain or illness. You may be experiencing the loss of a loved one. You may be faced with debts too numerous to pay. And yet, even with all this, you can have joy in Jesus!
Trust fully in Him and they can't take the joy!
(If this devotional has blessed you, please pass it on.)
From a fellow traveler just passing through,
Jason Mitchener