1024 The Key To Joy - John 15:11

Do you consider yourself a joyful person?   "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:11 NASB95   Joy is pretty cool. The more I experience it, the more I appreciate it, and the more I realize that you can't substitute anything for it. Happiness seems to be based more on what happens. Joy transcends my circumstances. Joy just seems more valuable, too. It can be addictive. It changes those things I do because I should, and turns them into what I do because I want to. When I do what Jesus wants, and I see him working in and through me, I experience a joy that I can't replicate. Others may have another method, but I don't believe that method produces this joy that Jesus is talking about here.   Jesus is speaking and said he was talking about "his" joy. This joy comes from Jesus. it's his. He wants us to have it and for it to be complete, full, to the brim. This isn't green, unripe joy. This is the full-blown, 5-alarm joy. He wants us to have all of it.   So how do we get it? By listening to "these things." Basically, what he said in John 15:1-10 is the key. When we abide in Jesus and obey his commandments our joy becomes full.   Today, take a few minutes right where you are unless you're flying or driving and ask Jesus to give you an idea for how you can abide in Jesus today. Celebrate the joy you've received. Or wait quietly on a word from him. It may seem like forever, but wait a minute or two and let him speak. He wants to be glorified through you and he will give you his joy when he does. Give him a moment or two today and then do what he says.