peace . love . joy

i've been feeling rather down lately..not sure if it's cos i'm encouraged to think and probe more into issues..and not jus be contented with surface explanations..

mebe it's my course..mebe it's me going thru a phase (?)..

but i felt no urge nor joy nor desire to want to seek gOd's presence and to hear His voice..

i mean..i welcome it..i accept it when He does choose to speak to me..when He does choose to enlighten me \ reveal His will to me..but i feel nothing..

i know why i felt joy & excitement in the past whenever i encountered anythg to do with gOd (which is everythg)..but smhow..that reason doesnt seem to "work" anymore..i understand it..i know it is a good and valid reason..but it doesnt spur me on anymore..guess u cld say everythg is jus a ritual..i know the "correct" meaning..but it jus doesnt click anymore..it doesnt hit home with me anymore..

and i jus wonder why..

i read ytd's daily bread..and i felt gOd's trying to reach me..like He called my hp..but i didnt answer..so he left a voice msg..

this is wad he said (thru James MacDonald) :

You cant make yourself joyful.

Take it from me. it's not possible, no matter how hard you try.

you can say to yourself, "i'm going to be a joyful person today." you can put a big smile on your face and determine to be cheerful everywhere you go. it may work for a few hours, but before long, something will come crashing down and the artificial joy will be gone.

as you stand at the starting line of today, think about where real joy comes from. let's begin with a definition.

"joy" is a "supernatural delight".

you've already figured out that you cant manufacture it. you can do alot of things to reduce joy, but you cant do anythg to increase it. you can seek it, but you cant produce it.

only gOd can give you joy.

this supernatural delight from gOd is found in three things :

1) in the person of gOd
when you see gOd's true character revealed in the world, you begin to be joyful. when you notice his work in your life -- you're more loving, more patient, more obedient -- and you fell joy.

2) in the purposes of gOd
lasting joy comes from connecting with gOd's purposes. gOd is doing some great things in our world. do you want to be a part of the action? he expects you to be involved. dont stand on the sidelines. get going! if you participate in the purposes of gOd, you will know the real joy.

3) in the people of gOd
as we work for gOd's purposes, we link arms with gOd's people. that third part of joy : deep satisfying relationships with others who know and love the Lord. that's where joy comes from -- delighting in the person of gOd and working for the purposes of gOd in partnership with the people of gOd.

you cant "wish" or "will" yourself into a joyful state. joy is the supernatural delight in the person, purposes and the people of gOd. go after it today!

(Philippians 1:3-11 was quoted)

i believe that joy truly comes frm one source : gOd.

at least i believe it..because i've experienced it..i've felt joy i could not and still cannot explain..

i realised that in times when i have too much time on my hands and i chose to spend it with gOd, i got happier..but now, it seems i barely even have time to finish up my readings and complete good reports \ do good assignments..

then the qn for me (i think) is gOd has given each and everyone of us the same 24 hrs..how come sm stil are able to find time for Him and i cant?

my time management skills are horrific, i admit..

Lord, i think the noise arnd me is too loud that i cant hear u..and smtimes, i jus dont bother to turn it down even..i cannot ask u to forgive me for that because..argh..i dont even know the one real reason why..jus so muddled right now..set me straight, if u still want me..Amen

gOd bLEsS

me