Put Joy into Your Life

Thanks Mike for your comment. I also was wondering about the difference between joy and happiness. We find ourselves returning to this very subject. 
It is interesting that this chapter follows a chapter on joy. The last chapter was not exclusively on joy, but joy was one of the three mentioned treasures. There has been a phrase some Christian friends have used and it is the "fight for joy". Indeed, for some of us, including myself, it is a fight for joy. My mood has been rather neutral today. It hasn't been all good and not all bad but somewhere in between. Joy however is something I really need to fight for.
Evangelist D. L. Moody encouraged Christian joy. He once said in a meeting, "There are too many religious meetings which are sadder than a funeral. They are a hindrance to the cause. They breed people with faces bearing an expression as chilling as an east wind from off the lake." (Anyone who lives in Chicago, as Mr. Moody did, knows what he means by a cold east wind from off the lake!) What Mr. Moody says is true--the greatest obstacle to sinners coming to Christ is the joyless attitude of many professed Christians.
There is a difference between being serious and being solemn. God wants us to be serious, but I don't know of any place in the Bible where He commands us to be solemn, to have a long face and a miserable look that means death to all who are happy and joyful around us. A missionary executive once told me that he would never send a missionary to the field if the man or woman didn't have a sense of humor. To be able to laugh at yourself and at the world around you, and to be able to laugh with others, is a mark of maturity. A famous Shakespearean actress once said, "You grow up when you get your first laugh at yourself." (pp. 132-133).
That is one very interesting requirement for the mission's organization, but one I agree with. A sense of humor is so key to mission's. People with a sense of humor have an attractive quality about them. It is sad that some Christian gatherings appear to be like a funeral service. I've been to many churches where people had no joy at all, and churches where worship is a celebration of God. The author says people who don't know how to laugh are bitter and critical. We need to be able to laugh at our own mistakes. Someone who gets frustrated at herself will likely get frustrated at others.
The author mentions three keys to joy:
"Don't let sin, neglect of the Bible, and prayerlessness rob you of your joy. God wants you to have joy. "The joy of the Lord is our strength." Joy lubricates the machinery of life and makes everything run much smoother. A joyful Christian is a strong Christian: Satan has a harder time tempting the man who has joy in his heart. A joyful Christian is a witnessing Christian because he has something exciting to share with others, and they can see the difference." (p. 135).
Sin, prayerlessness, and Bible neglect the author says are the keys to joylessness. I think this is an oversimplification. In these past two months, I have prayed more and read more Bible than the first few months of the year. Yet, my joy has been incredibly lacking. I have had so much unrest and worry and discouragement that joy has been mostly absent. With joy absent, the enemy has been oppressing me more than ever. For me, I think joy relates to confidence in God or Biblical hope. I don't have much confidence in God right now and so my joy is lacking.
"Now let's talk about how to share your joy. If there are two commodities that are in short supply in our world today, they are love and joy. Most of the people you and I meet during the day are hungw for love and joy. If you and I are filled with God's
Spirit and walking in His power, then others will see love and joy in our lives. We won't have to manufacture them for the occasion; they will be fruit that are constantly growing and reproducing in our lives.
How do we share our joy? By our attitudes. We can't hide joy once it is in our hearts and running over! We don't have to wear signs telling people we are joyful! They will see it in our attitudes and actions. People watch us because we are Christians; and this gives us a wonderful opportunity to show them what a difference Christ has made in our lives. In fact, unsaved people might even create some problems for us .just to see what we will do. The joyful Christian also shares his joy by doing his job gladly and not complaining about it. He tries his best not to add to anybody's problems. He is a part of the answer, not a part of the problem. He avoids criticizing others. He speaks the truth in love. The joyful Christian shares his joy by accepting the burdens of life without complaining. He is willing to do the small tasks that others ignore; and when he does the big jobs, he is willing for others to share the credit.
All around us are people who are lonely and bitter, and they need a good dose of Christian love and joy. They may not be the easiest people in the world to work with, eat with, or talk to; but they need what we have to offer. Let God lead you to them; ask God to help you understand their needs. Listen to what they say even though you may disagree with some of it. Remember; you are not out to win an argument; you are out to win a soul to Christ. Your attitude of love and joy will soon take hold of his heart and this will give you an opportunity to share Christ with your friend.
Every hour of every day there is something to rejoice about, so start cultivating an attitude of joy. Keep your heart clean; spend time in the Word and prayer; look for ways to make life happier and easier for others. And when you do, a wonderful thing will happen to you: God's love and joy will fill your heart." (p. 135-136).
Prayer:
Father, we long to become people of joy and people of influence. Someone shared this morning about a prayer request that their entire family would come to Christ. Now, we find in this chapter the attributes of an effective witness, and it is the attitude of joy and love. It is a missing attitude. I complain and become discourage about my situation. Yet, joy is what makes us go through these moments not only for ourselves but as a witness to our family members. Father, I pray that You enable me to find victory in this difficult fight for joy.