Joy

Joy "The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song." (Psalm 28:7) Is there joy in our lives? Let us face it: most of us have more joy (positives) than negatives. Our family, friends, and associates are sources of great joy. It is easy to see spring joy. It is spring, and the grass is green; the trees are budding with leaves, and spring flowers are showing their colors. Many today have a problem seeing the joys in their lives. There are issues caused by COVID-19 that have changed our lives. Even so, there are always positives. Keeping the Lord in our lives through prayer when we are down is vital. Paul told the Romans (15:13), "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Our surroundings and lifestyles create our physical and emotional joys. Absolute joy comes through our Christian beliefs. This belief gives us the "strength" and "shield" mentioned by the Psalmist. Thought for Today: Let us keep joy at the forefront of our thoughts. When challenged with life, let's use our shield - the Lord. Prayer for the Week: Heavenly Father, many of our friends are fighting battles. Illness, unemployment, unwanted career changes, and many others. We pray for them to understand your strength and love. We pray that they may only find the joy through trust in you. Amen