UNLIMITED SOURCE OF JOY Nehemiah 8:10

What a glorious day! The people are finally celebrating the completion of their dream...the rebuilding of the wall around Jersualem. Yet, upon hearing the reading of God's laws, the people are cut to the heart, grieved by their sin. Nehemiah tells the people to put away their mourning, "For the joy of the Lord is your strength." How could they have joy in the face of their guilt and sorrow? How could they experience joy even when they had neglected God's ways?
Let's bring this into our own lives. Can we experience joy even in the midst of realizing how broken and needy we are? In the midst of our disappointment and struggles? Yes, we can! The joy available to us...like the joy that was available to the people of Jerusalem...is not dependent upon us or on our circumstances. It's not dependent on our temperament or hormone levels. This joy does not come from "having it all together," or from everything going well, accomplishing our goals or overcoming obstacles. No, this joy is "of the Lord."
Joy...true joy...originates from God and from living in close connection with God, not from our immediate situation or emotional state. Joy is always accessible to us because God has given us His Holy Spirit. Not only do we have constant access to the Spirit of joy, but this joy is also, according to Nehemiah, our very strength; and it is available now! The enemy tries to deceive us into believing we cannot experience joy...at least not just yet. We buy into thinking that says, "When this is over, when I finish this, when I obtain that, when I've resolved this...then I can experience joy."
Yet God wants us to know His joy now. Not tomorrow, not when we're healed, not when sorrow has passed, not when we've become successful, not when our child or spouse changes, not when we've lost ten pounds, not when we've paid off our debt, received a promotion or bought a bigger home, but now...this day!
Lasting joy does not reside in God's blessings, God's favor, God's gifts or God's people, but in God Himself. Take time this day to seek the Lord and draw upon Him to find our joy and our strength