Manna Monday- Life is Fragile, Live Joyfully

 

Have you ever stopped to think about how fragile life is?

One minute, and your life can change. One word, and a relationship can be broken. One thought, and a sin can be birthed. One wrong decision, and a lifetime consequence becomes a reality. One glance toward an invitation of discouragement, and your attitude can head south. One turn, and an accident can happen. Life is fragile.

 

Each minute is a moment

So why not live joyfully?

  

James 4:14 says, "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone." What are you doing with the minutes of your life? What are you doing with those "one" things that can take you away from living in the joy of Jesus?

 

My challenge to myself and to you is to take each day, each moment and live in the full measure of the joy of Jesus. How do you do that? I am going to tell you a secret that you already know. And it's not my opinion, it's the very words of Jesus. The joyful life is experienced to the fullest by spending time in His Word and by obeying His Word (John 15:10-11).  Jesus deposits HIS JOY inside your heart upon salvation in Him..... and it is always there in your heart. The problem with joy is that we let sin cover it up, turn away from spending time with Jesus and in turn, our hearts don't treasure His JOY. As a fruit of the Spirit, joy is produced more in our lives when we spend more time WITH CHRIST!!  (John 15:11; John 16:24; John 17:13).

 

 

As you begin this new week, think about how fragile life is. Think about how each minute is a moment. What are you doing with the minutes of your life?  Are you living in constant drama, constant discouragement, constant frustration over the circumstances of your life? You don't have to dear sister! Although life is fragile, the joy of Jesus is stable and secure and can help you move through any storm with confidence. Joy is finding deep satisfaction in God's promises which never change. His Word can be trusted. The more we choose to live in the chaos of life instead of in Christ's joy, we will miss the fullness of the joy of Jesus. It will be covered up because of our sin. Because He is the source of joy, we have to remain where He is. That's why trying to draw near to Him through the reading of His Word is vitally important. Try to memorize a scripture or read a passage a few minutes a day and see how that time well spent can produce more joy in your life than you can ever imagine.

 

Each minute is a moment. Live joyfully!