Joy That Overwhelms

We each have two distinct parts to our lives:  the things that we see, do and say – the things that happen to us on the outside – and the things that we think and feel on the inside. Sure, they're connected, but that deep inner life remains largely hidden from the rest of the world. Every now and then our inner life breaks through. Our anger breaks out in harsh words; our love in tenderness. But mostly, we try to hide our negative emotions – pride, resentment, fear, worry, inadequacy and so on. So they swill round and round in our hearts, distorting our perspective, destroying our relationships. And though we try to suppress them, they eat away like cancer. Though we try to hide them, others know something's amiss. When you experience negative emotions, how do you overcome them? How do you stop them from festering like an open sore and infecting your life with their poison? What you need is the power to overwhelm, to defeat, to expunge them. Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (NIV) The people there had been weeping as they'd heard God's law read aloud, realising their terrible failures. But Nehemiah exhorted them not to stay in sorrow, because God's joy, His delight in His people, His grace, bring a strength that completely overwhelms, completely defeats, completely expunges the negative swill in our hearts. Don't grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.