AIN’T NOBODY GONNA STEAL MY JOY
By: C. Mason Davis
One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year-old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside him, and said quietly, “Good morning, Alex.” Good morning, Pastor,” replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. “Pastor McGhee, what is this?” Alex asked. “Well, son, it’s a memorial to all the men and women who have died in the service.” Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex’s voice was barely audible when he finally managed to ask, “Which service, the 9:00 or 10:30 service?”
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
James 1: 2-3; “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers’ temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
Have you ever had a time in your life when you were happy, even if not all in your life was good or favorable? Think about times where you were happy and nothing bad or negative seemed to be going on in your life. It feels like a great life when you have no worries or stresses in your life that keep you from being happy.
Ask yourself these questions and put some deep thought into the responses to these questions. What makes you happy? What makes you unhappy? Who makes you happy? Who makes you unhappy? What causes you to worry and gives you stress? Who are the people in your life that seem to steal your joy? Are you keeping a positive attitude even when there is negativity all around you? One of the most important questions to ask yourself is, “What would Jesus do?” Are you living the life, walking the walk, and talking the talk in your life that would make Jesus proud? If not, what can you do to change? What can you do to be better, to think better, and feel better? Remember that life will give us lemons and it’s up to us, not other’s, to make lemonade out of those lemons. Something always tries to pull you down. Traffic, pain, robocalls, bills, tv, news, and somebody can bother you to the point that you lose yourself. We just need to choose to live in the way the Lord has made for us. We need to draw that line in the sand and tell ourselves not to allow anyone to steal our joy.
Today is a day that the Lord has made. Don't let anything that is happening in your life steal your joy. The more you thank God for what He has already done, the more God will change your life. In Nehemiah 8:10: "Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength." After supervising the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem after the exile, Nehemiah had the people listen to God's Word. They wept because they realized they had disobeyed God. But Nehemiah turned their hearts to rejoicing. He explained that the day of reading God's Word is holy, and the joy of the Lord is their strength. But everyone has to make the decision to put to use this joy and peace. This is a gift from God and costs you nothing. One of the most dynamic ways to keep our joy is to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in the way we should go. Proverbs 16:9 says: “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
Make the decision every morning that “I will be joyful today." When you’re tempted to get upset, remind yourself that you have the power to remain calm. Keep your joy. This day is a gift. Honor God by living it with a grateful heart and to the fullest.
Do not allow negative people to steal your joy. It is important to understand that you should not allow anyone to take control of your life. Too often, we start living our lives, just as others want us to live! You need to understand that it is none other than you who should be having control of your life. You are going to decide what makes you happy, and what makes you sad. Never allow negative people to steal your joy. You might find it difficult to counter such people in your life, but you have no other choice but to do so.
It is your happiness that allows you to stay strong, so make sure that you are able to hold on to it. You should never allow someone else to steal your joy. One widow lived with worries and doubt in the time of the kings of Israel. Read about it in 1 Kings 17:1-9. This widow collected sticks to build a fire and prepare her last meal for her son and herself. She had no hope or joy left. God sent Elijah to her and caused a miracle of endless flour and oil. She listened to Elijah's directions and God's promise. She experienced a miracle. Sometime later, her son stopped breathing. She only had hope in Elijah. She cried out to him, and he prayed, and God restored her son. The woman finally believed, "Now I know that you are a man of God and the word of the Lord from your mouth is true." When your happiness is your strength, it is the one thing that keeps you going! Your happiness will attract detractors who want nothing more to make happy people feel as bad as they do. When you trouble your heart with worries and doubt, you are left with no direction in your life and that is going to affect you in the long run.
Negative people love to spread hate and they love to make you agree with their hate. They are a sad bunch of people. Non-believers. Not believing in God or that there is any good in this world or in their lives. A label has been put on them and today they’re now called, “Haters.” Haters hate to be alone. Haters disguise themselves in many ways. They’ll convince you they have your best interests at heart. Most Haters will try to steal your joy because they have none. They desperately wish they had the joy you have. In many cases, they wish they were living the exact same life as you. Some Haters are good people who are hurt. Now that you know this, perhaps you can find it in yourself to forgive their unsupportive ways and continue your joyful and happy life. Don’t fight your haters’ hate with anger. This fuels toxic people. Respond with love instead. Empathize with their anger. Give them compliments. Then, continue living your best life. If you’re living a good life, dealing with haters is inevitable. Happy and joyful people are like magnets to haters. Don’t allow negative people to steal your joy. When you lose your joy, you lose your strength.
Do any of you remember singing this song when you were kids, for your kids, or with your grandkids?
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy;
down in my heart;
down in my heart;
down in my heart;
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy;
down in my heart;
down in my heart to stay.
How long has it been since you’ve thought about that song? Maybe when you’re feeling low you can sing this song as a reminder to not lose your joy? Think about that. Zephaniah 3:17, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Joy is not just a feeling, but a state of mind also. It’s a state of mind that can fill your heart. You can find joy in yourself with the help of others. I have to admit that my life is never joyful without a dog, especially an Irish Setter. When I lose one, I’ll move heaven and earth to find another. Not as a replacement, but because I’ve come to be so dependent on their unconditional love. Don’t rely on anyone else for your happiness. This is obviously easier said than done. The truth is, all you need is to keep Jesus in your heart and trust in him completely, that all will go well in your life. Take Paul for example: Paul faced many hardships, including prison, beatings, being shipwrecked in a storm, and lashes. But he always spoke of joy. His joy came from many sources, especially from how he focused his thoughts: Gratitude for support and gifts sent, for the faith of others, and for Christian love. Living life with no regrets as he focused on loving people and trusting God. His contentment in any circumstance allowed God to work in him. His positive outlook at all times. For example, Paul observed that his imprisonment encouraged others to speak out and helped grow the kingdom. He kept hope in the eternal future. By adopting these principles, it will help us to let go of anxieties and live with more joy.
If we don’t have enough “in person” friends, we turn to social media on the internet. We are social creatures. Being socially excluded is painful. Approval and validation feel good and can feed your ego and make you feel good about yourself. Haters can use these tactics to suck you into their world then start indoctrinating you into their hate, their beliefs, and their dark world. Still, we must all avoid an over-reliance on other people’s validation for our happiness.
What makes you feel like you have value and worth? We are designed to want validation, the feeling of significance. The problem is we keep God at arms-length and try to appease Him with church attendance and trying to be nice. God’s love and acceptance is the key to self-value and significance. The journey of believing brings freedom and renewed energy. How does God validate you? Perhaps making a list of His validations of you that you realize and know of can bring you more joy. Perhaps that will make you more appreciative towards feeling, living and sharing your joy.
This is validation. God really does love you and is crazy about you. In Psalms 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,” You really are the apple of His eye. We seek validation from people, work, friends, accomplishments or our spouse. They become the barometer of our feelings and worth. The treadmill of acceptance can wear us out. We stop believing that we have value or significance in the world. This will kill your heart, Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” This is wellspring of life. Don’t be the student studying accounting just because it would make his parents proud. Don’t be the wife who needs her husband to tell her she’s beautiful every day. Build your self-esteem, so you don’t need anyone to tell you how awesome you are. Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” He has given you unique gifts, talents, and strengths, whether you know it or not, or whether you believe it or not. Romans 12:6, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.”
A trap to avoid is comparing yourself to others, both in person and online. The fact is, that God created us in his image, not each other’s. Galatians 3:28 says: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” So, avoid the comparison game altogether. Yes, the thought of overtaking someone can inspire people to improve faster, but even if you do bypass your rival, there will always be someone else you feel is above you who makes you feel small again. You’ll never be the richest, the strongest or the most-followed as social media influencer. So be yourself and not what other’s think you should be. The comparison game is a comparison trap that you can’t escape. John 15:11, says: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
We all have had issues with family and friends. I’m sure that there has been a time in your life when you’ve had to assess your family and friends. A lot of times it is people who are closest to us who get in our ways of joy and happiness. Some people are stealing your joy in subtle ways. They may not be doing it on purpose, but it’s up to you to address it. Because they are so close to you, you may not have set any boundaries in your relationships with them. Setting boundaries with really close family or friends will be very hard, but if they are responsible for robbing you of your joy and happiness, something has to give. Either you give up your joy and happiness, or they give up whatever it is that breaks your boundaries. Perhaps they won’t understand or agree with what you’re telling them. You’ll have to make some very hard decisions. If you explain your reasons from your heart, the outcome will hopefully be easier to come by than you may fear. If you need boundaries of any type for a family member or a really close friend, they should know why so they can respect your wishes. Make your personal boundaries and stick to them. If you don’t, then no one will take you seriously about them from then on. If they ignore these warnings, you may have to remove them from your life, if even just for a little while. Yes, some people are more difficult to remove from your life than others. Are these people a net positive or a net negative in your life? John 16:24, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” Some people aren’t receiving from God what He wants them to have because they won’t ask boldly of Him. Hebrews 4:16 tells us to “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Many Christians feel like they need to clean themselves up before coming to God in prayer. However, our righteousness is in Christ alone, and no amount of good works will make us right with God. If we are in Christ, God sees us as righteous right now. Be bold and confident in God when you pray. Just ask for what you need, boldly and in faith, without wavering. John 15:7, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Show your trespassers your boundaries, that there is a better life out there and you’re living it because you have given your heart and soul to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Teach them that there is a better life out there and they too, can live it when they turn their life and love over to Jesus Christ. Perhaps then the fence your boundaries have built can be torn down by both of you together. Habakkuk 3:17–18 says: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor 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.” When you stay full of joy despite what’s come against you, God says that salvation is coming. Even in the worst of times our efforts to keep up with the Jones’s we buy the things we think we need to be happy. It’s easy to get caught up in the rat race and spend all our time working. Yet, time is our most valuable resource, not money. Working too hard is one of the biggest regrets of the dying. None of them say they wish they had worked harder. So, when I say, “don’t let anyone steal your joy,” I’m including your boss. Many people would lead more joyful lives if they had less liabilities and more time doing what they love. Our joy is precious and must be protected from others stealing it. You can still enjoy your day and choose joy over everything else no matter what. As hard as it can seem sometimes, your emotions are in your control.
You may feel lost at times, but never lose faith. With faith comes Amazing Grace. I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see. But how do you keep the faith when all seems lost? Meditation and prayer are useful practices that help to increase mindfulness, spirituality, joy, and happiness. They can also improve your mental health in general. In fact, many who frequent these practices help themselves to feel joy without any external stimulus.
None of this is possible without having faith. Faith is the unwavering belief that everything is going to work out. Billions of people tie their faith to a God who is looking out for them at all times. Moses, as a baby, floated in a basket and ended up in the home of Pharaoh. He grew up with great knowledge but murdered an Egyptian in trying to protect his own people. He fled to Midian and became a shepherd until God called out to him from a burning bush to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Moses then became a great leader who spoke to the Israelites for God, passing on the ten commandments and other laws. He led his people for forty years, but because of a moment of anger, God did not allow them to cross the Jordan into the promised land. Moses remained faithful and, at the end of his earthly life, praised God in a song. Faith allows you to trust that everything happens for a reason, whether positive or negative. You learn to see obstacles not as threats to your happiness, but as opportunities to grow as a person. How could you allow anyone to steal your joy at this point? At times it’s hard to keep your faith in a world that presents one difficult situation after another. Walking in obedience with God is one of the best ways to have a joyful, blessed life. Every day we need to submit our will and our plans to God. We need to learn to be more patient with Him and listen to what He’s telling us to do, and then obey Him. God knows what’s best for our lives, and He will lead us into His plan for our lives if we permit Him to do so. As our love grows, we will want to do what God wants us to do, and our patience and obedience to Him will give us great joy.
Joy is restored to your life when you learn to forgive and forget, and these two virtues go together. God tells us He forgives our sins, puts them as far as the east is from the west, and remembers them no more. Frequently, we try to forgive people, but forgiveness can’t do its redemptive work because we want to remember what they did to us. Why do we need to forgive people? Because our faith won’t work if we don’t. A lack of forgiveness blocks our fellowship with God, and that prevents our spiritual growth. Holding grudges is like taking poison and hoping your enemy will die. Have you lost your joy because of a lack of forgiveness? If so, you should start forgiving people right away.
Keeping your joy in a world filled with negativity can be challenging. However, we must remember that our joy is the most precious asset we have, so we must cling to it with all our might. The worst thing we can do is put our joy in the hands of someone other than God. No matter the circumstances, don’t let anyone control your emotions in your daily life. I believe many today across America have lost their joy in the midst of current issues. The good news is that joy can be restored. Psalms 51:12 states, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” God is the ultimate source of our joy, and He will keep us on the right path. The best way to keep our joy despite any circumstance is to keep our eyes fixed on God. And this, I pray will be possible for all of us. Amen!
