Joyful Couture

Scripture: He has sent me … to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3

In the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas the church celebrates Advent. Advent literally means coming or arrival. This celebration signifies the coming of Christ 2000 years ago. The focus of the 1st week is Hope. The Christ child brought Hope to a dying world. The 2nd week’s focus is Peace. Jesus came so that we can experience Peace. This week, the 3rd week, the focus is Joy. Our Joy is made complete in Christ. Lastly in the 4th week we celebrate the great Love of God in his sharing his Son with the world, so we are to share that Love with the world.

I was meditating on the concept of Joy. If you have ever seen anyone struggle with depression, you know that the lack of joy is a really serious struggle. It causes people to do desperate things ranging from addiction to suicide. If we could somehow bottle joy and sell it, we could make lots of money. I won’t address the fact that drug companies have tried.

However, I do not want to make light of such a serious thing as joy or the lack there of. Christ addressed one of the ways that we can find Joy in John 15, if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my Joy may be in you and that your Joy may be complete. If we obey God’s commands, we can remain in Christ’s love and we will find complete Joy. I am sure we can trace the steps to our lack of Joy pretty easily given this road map.

So let’s assume you are in the pit of sorrow already, and you desire to be free of that depression. You must begin with repentance. Search your heart and ask God to reveal your sin to you. Where have you disobeyed God’s commands? Confess your sins, one by one, and seek true repentance. Now you have traveled to the root of your sorrow. Now ask God to give you the strength to walk uprightly before Him.

Mondays are my longest days. My feet hit the ground around 6:30 and I hardly slow down until 9 or 10pm. I do the normal daily activities plus afterschool activities and then to close out the long day I have music practice with the church band. No matter how bad of a day I have had, no matter how tired I am, when I leave music practice I feel better. I discovered this evening that I was experiencing Joy. The complete Joy of Christ. You see the day’s activities may have cloaked me in sorrow, depression, exhaustion, ect. But the praise drives out those feelings of sorrow and depression.

I believe that if you want to get out of the sorrow pit you have to praise your way out of the pit! Start your day with praise. Lift up prayerful praises. Sing songs of praise. Listen to praise and worship music. Let words of praise pass through your lips all day long. Meditate on the goodness of God. Praise is a garment. We must put it on. I pray that in these days of Advent that you will indeed clothe yourself in the garment of praise, so that Christ’s joy may be completed in you.

Prayer: Almighty God, thank you for sending Christ, so that we have hope for peace, joy, and love. Teach us how to clothe ourselves in the garment of praise. Amen.

Prayer Tip: Feeling heavy? Praise before you pray.
Leslie Stephens
Winchester, TN