Anyone else have trouble feeling joy?

[jeffnevins]

I try to follow Christ as best I can, live in the Spirit, read His Word, pray, evangelize when the opportunity appears, and practice many other aspects that many of us here do.  It's been a number of years since I've felt joy, though.  I feel awe towards God, and worship him humbly as a sinner, try to serve him, etc.  

 

But find it interesting that some people feel joy better than others, like those who can smile or laugh despite having horrible conditions.  I'm still deeply thankful to God & try to stay focused on Him in the midst of trouble, but don't feel joy much.  Even little things like when the pastor or community group speaker says something & most people laugh.  I usually don't.  Not that I'm trying not to- it would just feel fake to laugh.  

 

It's not a huge deal.  Just thought it might be something interesting to dscuss if it hasn't come up before.  Thanks.

[Guest shiloh357]

You need to let God be the source and occasion of your joy.  Joy isn't circumstantial.  it isn't based on how our day is going or how others treat us.   Happiness is circumstantial.  Joy is eternal and consistent because it isn't linked to what is or isn't going right in our lives.

[fire-heart]

I try to follow Christ as best I can, live in the Spirit, read His Word, pray, evangelize when the opportunity appears, and practice many other aspects that many of us here do.  It's been a number of years since I've felt joy, though.  I feel awe towards God, and worship him humbly as a sinner, try to serve him, etc.  

 

But find it interesting that some people feel joy better than others, like those who can smile or laugh despite having horrible conditions.  I'm still deeply thankful to God & try to stay focused on Him in the midst of trouble, but don't feel joy much.  Even little things like when the pastor or community group speaker says something & most people laugh.  I usually don't.  Not that I'm trying not to- it would just feel fake to laugh.  

 

It's not a huge deal.  Just thought it might be something interesting to dscuss if it hasn't come up before.  Thanks.

It seems what your going through is part of your traing in Christ. I am no stranger to not feeling certain things, In my early faith every day i was overfilled with love. every day God richly filled me with a love that was so deep it seemed to pour out of me, i had an extreme intimate heart pounding love that seemed to became who i was in Christ. Even when i looked in the mirror and saw my eyes they seemed so gentle and so caring, I cant tell you how many supernatural events took place where God and I spoke to each other with our hearts because my lips and words could not express the deep feelings we had with each other.

 

This deep love made me able to read his heart so easily I had such a tender care for others and hardly had any hard times at all. But one day after about nine months in my faith I woke up and it was gone I was very concerned and longed to be like this with God again,  I still got an occasional pouring of this love but It seemed as if God took the level of love we had.

 

Ever since then I longed for it I seem to be going through a vast dessert but I now understand why he took it away like he did. Even though I was vastly and richly filled with love i wasnt growing stronger, I hadnt even learned how to trust God. I now am much stronger going through hard times and trials where as before I hardy went through any at all.

Even now I feel like I am going through a vast dessert thirsting for the level of intimacy God and I once had, always so hungry to know love and have God yet never filled but i know that this is him training me. He is training me to be very strong for a purpose I dont know of.

 

this is the same for you, He is leading you through a vast dessert filling you enough to keep going but always hungry and thirsty for more. You do not understand why you are so lacking in joy right now but trust someone who has gone through it when I say you will understand later and will look back and see how much stronger you became going through it

[Guest]

....It's been a number of years since I've felt joy....

 

 

Some Time

 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

Some Joy

 

See that none render evil for evil unto any man;

but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

 

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

 

Some LORD

 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

 

Some Love

 

Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

 

Abide in me, and I in you.

 

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine;

 

no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:3-4

 

Some Faith

 

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17

 

~

 

Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING

 

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

 

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27

 

Love, Your Brother Joe

[Fez]

You need to let God be the source and occasion of your joy.  Joy isn't circumstantial.  it isn't based on how our day is going or how others treat us.   Happiness is circumstantial.  Joy is eternal and consistent because it isn't linked to what is or isn't going right in our lives.

Shiloh gives a good answer. The quiet, reflective and shy person in the back of church can be filled with more joy than someone dancing at the front. It's an inward joy of knowing Jesus, and sometimes it spills over, but not always. Did Mother Theresa exhibit joy and dancing in the streets? But like Paul in chains, the joy of knowing Christ was ever present.

 

I am pretty sick right now, and am going through a very uncomfortable time. My quality of life is not so hot, and won't be for a while.

 

But the joy of knowing Jesus has not diminished one iota! 

[jeffnevins]

Thanks for responses.  Good scripture, Joe.

Eccles. 3 was actually the topic of my lifestage (singles 30-40s) group's Bible study on Sun.

[Spock]

You are not alone brother in these struggles.

Many of us are susceptible to our circumstances, relationships, and environment.

When things are going well, we feel more joy. For example, I feel more joy when my golf game is on, verses not. I feel more joy when my students are on task and respectful, than not. I feel more joy when my wife is also in the mood, rather than not. (Big grin)

We are human with a body of flesh, so don't beat yourself up too much because we carry it's limitations. Some day we will be delivered from this bondage and you will experience joy that cannot even be imagined in our......flesh.

I also agree in what Ecclesiastics is communicating. A time for all things......under the sun.

Spock out

PS. I applaud you for even starting a thread like this. It took a lot of humility to become so vulnerable. Clap clap

[disciplehelovestoo]

Neh 8:8-12

(8)  So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

(9)  And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

(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.

(11)  So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

(12)  And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

 

i think of Joy like a coat.  when i'm cold, i can put my coat on, and if it's been with me and has gotten cold too, it might make me feel even colder for a short time - but if i leave it on, i'll get warm.  Joy is not a feeling, but a choice - the feelings follow the choice

[Willa]

There are a lot of jokes that I don't laugh at. They just don't seem funny at the time. That doesn't mean that I don't crack up at other things. But I have been told that I am usually smiling. Perhaps your sense of humor is different from theirs. But I don't consider that joy.

But people who are sad most of the time can have a more meloncholy disposition. I know mature Christians who are that way. Sometimes the are weighed down by other peoples problems, or are praying for the salvation of loved ones. Some people have never been set free from the sins that so easily beset us so they don't understand the joy of overcoming the world and the flesh. Sometimes they are being harrassed by the enemy who is accusing them of sins God has long forgotten. The list is endless. Sometimes life is just hard.

Hubby and I have learned to enJOY the simple pleasures. We have been watching a family of quail walk through our yard daily. There are several that are much smaller that get left behind. First mama would go back after them and all the rest would follow her back--about face! Papa would be the lookout up on the phone wires. Now Papa is bringing up the rear with the smallest babies. It is something that brings a calm delight, not really funny. Sometimes those pleasant experiences that we enJOY delight us due to the wonders of His creation. We consider the lillies of the field, and the sparrows or the quail and we see His provision and that how much more He loves and will provide for us.

It is true that a merry heart does good like a medicine. But that is not joy. Joy arises from a deep contentment and maturity in our confidence in God. Sometimes we get it from seeing His handiwork and new life that pulls our attention back to Him. Joy is trust that is mixed with a heart of thankgiving for all that He has done and all that He has promised to do. It is gladness in our relationship with Him.

[Marilyn C]

Hi jeffnevins,

 

Joy......well there is so much that I appreciate & as Willamina has so lovingly written about the quails, there is a lot to enjoy. Yet we know that the world with its sinfulness cannot give our spirits anything. I personally find that when I think on what awaits us - to see the Lord Himself, to be with other brothers & sisters in Christ, forever, with all that God has prepared for us, then appreciation, awe & joy rises once again.