When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? From the ends of the earth, I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. [Psalms 56:3&4; Psalms 61:2] Help me to understand the Joy in my heart that Your salvation brings.
Holy Spirit I am trying to establish growth and wisdom in my heart by applying what Paul penned as the fruits of the Spirit to the Galatians. When it comes to the fruit of joy, I feel I do not comprehend as much of what it means as for what the scripture is trying to portray it to mean. Holy Spirit give me wisdom as to what joy is supposed to mean for me. I know that my joy is what is supposed to sustain me in my faith and in my hope of heaven. I also know that Your word talks about joy coming in the morning after a night of sorrow or heartache. I also know that the scriptures talk about our joy being full, so I understand joy is a much deeper concept than just mere happiness. James even tells us to consider it joy when we face trials and temptations. How does one have joy during a very difficult time in life.
Holy Spirit I can relate to Mary when she saw Christ crucified and died on the cross. Finding my son Philip dead was the most crushing experience I have ever had. I still witness that day in my dreams and often during times of stress. How do I find joy during this?
Holy Spirit I have learned that joy wells within us as an artesian well, and gives us hope when all seems lost. It is the foundation of water that is found in every cell of our body to continue to have life. Joy in the knowledge that I will see Philip again helps me to have hope. Joy to know that this life is just a vapor and the true living will begin when life here is done for good. Joy is what gives strength to my foundation of faith when all is stacked against me and I must cling to You for salvation and survival of my soul and mind.
Holy Spirit let the joy that is within me burst forth and give refreshing life to those who I come in contact with. This way they can learn to enjoy the true living water that You told the woman at the well about.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2Corinthians 1:3-7) (Galatians 1:3-5)