31 Days of Devotions Day 3: Joy

 

Day 3 Joy

 

Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines;

The labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION.”

 

I’m going to be perfectly honest with you: I didn't feel like writing this devotion today. I haven’t had a regular full-time job since the middle of November 2024. I’m working to build my business; I’m Door Dashing and delivering for Uber Eats, Delivering for Grubhub and Instacart, I'm back in school to pursue my permanent licensure with the Wesleyan Church, and I’m volunteering A LOT. I’m doing all of these things and making very little money for doing them. I’m sulking a little bit. I’m running through some of the lies in my head that Satan has tossed out there for my overthinking self to chew on, ruminate over. We talked about some of them on Day 1. There are so many more.

I think back to how I imagine my dad must have felt, a disabled Vietnam Veteran, who was 100% disabled, but only qualified as 70% because of the government “Legalese”. He had to fight for years to get approved as 100% disabled, but even in that, all he wanted to do was to work and provide for his family. It’s hard for anyone, but I think that it is harder for men to be “out of work,” especially when you have others depending on you.

In my sulking and self-pity, I’m violating the things that I taught you just a little bit ago. I’m focusing on happiness rather than the joy that is so crucial to who we are in our salvation through Christ. That joy cannot be stolen; it cannot be quenched IF we put it and our hope in Christ. Let me repeat it: happiness is subjective, joy is not! There are so many verses in the Scripture about hope and joy, in both the Old Testament and New Testament, Philippians 4:4, Romans 12:12, Psalm 118:24. I really could go on and on. I chose the passage above from Habakkuk because it really spoke to me, as did another verse in Habakkuk today. Habakkuk is a book that, in my opinion, gets little notice. It’s a short book; you can read it in one sitting, just three little chapters. Habakkuk is considered a minor prophet, and he plays a significant role in conveying God’s messages and demonstrating unwavering faith and trust in the face of uncertainty. Give it a read, then do an in-depth study.

 

  

 

 

Questions to reflect on:

1.     How does the passage in Habakkuk resonate with me? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.          Do I rejoice in the joy of my salvation, or am I tossed to and fro by the winds of change? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.     Am I willing to commit to studying about where my joy comes from and to ask God to help me be holy and replace my happiness with true joy? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Prayer:

Dear Father God, please remind me daily where my joy is found. Help me to commit to learn to replace my “happiness” with the true joy found in your Son, Jesus. Send others to help me remember this when I am struggling in this area. In Jesus' name, Amen.