The Joy of Full Surrender

[i] “If we are able to greet each passing moment as the manifestation of the will of God, if we’re able to discern God’s will every single moment, we will find in it all our heart can desire. What could be more reasonable, more perfect, and more divine than the will of God? Could any change of time, place or circumstance alter or increase its value? What could possibly be worth more in life than knowing what God wants you to do?”

“If you possess the secret of discovering God’s will at every moment and in everything, then you possess all that is most precious and worthy to be desired.”[/i]

The Joy of Full Surrender, by Jean-Pierre de Caussade

This is very good. I've been thinking on the lack of joy in my life and the source of joy in my life. Doing good deeds, successful service, witnessing, etc. can and should be sources of joy, but what happens when I fall into temptation, or feel unused or insignificant, or allow fear to hinder my witness, my joy quickly evaporates.

I've been meditating on this verse...[i]These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.[/i](John 15:11). I've been asking, "what was His joy?" The answer is coming slowly to this thick head but I believe for Jesus it was just fellowship with the Father. Sorrowful circumstance and being aquainted with grief could not touch the joy that came from just knowing God.

In Christ,

Ron

[i]"...often indeed God places certain souls in this state, which is called emptiness of the spirit or of the intelligence; it is also called: being in nothingness (etre dans le rien). This annihilation of our own spirit disposes us wonderfully to receive that of Jesus Christ. This mystical death of the operations of our own activity renders our soul apt for the reception of divine operations."[/i] -- from a letter to Sister Mary-Antoinette de Mahuet - 1731

Dear Ron,

I was also deep in thoughts yesterday about,'...the joy of the Lord is your strength' and 'Rejoice in the Lord always'

And I am in the same mind as you that our joy is about fellowship with our Father and may I add these key words, 'of Him, through Him, for Him".

Col 1:17
And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

Col 1:19
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.

JOY is a person.

Isn't it wonderful and glorious to meditate on this?
God bless always.

JOY is a person.

Amen. He truly does fill all in all.

I have been listening to AW Tozer's series of sermons on the attributes of God and meditating on His attributes and as I begin to ponder the vastness of our God and how we will spend eternity just getting to know Him more with each day(if there are days in eternity), revealing more of His glory than the day before, there is a joy beginning to fill my heart. A joy that no circumstance in this world can take away.

How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
All will see
How great, how great, is our God

In Christ,

Ron

Gotta Love that song... :knockedout: