Overflowing Joy

Read I John 1:4-2:2

Someone has said that "Happiness depends on Happenings." In fact, I heard it this way, "If all the happenings that I happen to hope will happen, happen to happen, then I am happy." On the other hand, "If all the happenings that I happen to hope will happen, happen not to happen, then I am not happy." There is no doubt that for many people the circumstances of their lives determine the level of their happiness.

Joy is different. According to I John, joy is a result of living in fellowship with God through Jesus. John was something of an expert on fellowship with Jesus, and he writes in v. 4 that his purpose is that we might experience real joy. He tells us that it is based on knowing that God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him. Then he tells us that we can experience joy through fellowship with God by walking in the light. What he means is living honestly before God. Obeying His Word on a daily basis, and when we fail honestly confessing our sins with a repentant heart.

When each of my children were born I was there in the labor room. Each time one of these children breathed their first breath we entered into a marvelous relationship. Every person who has received Jesus Christ as their Savior entered into a marvelous relationship with God. They became God's child. That relationship can never end.

Fellowship is the enjoyment of relationship. While my children can never stop being my children, we do get out of fellowship from time to time. We can never cease to be God's child once we have become a follower of Jesus Christ. But we can get out of fellowship with Him when we sin. We can try to hide it or deny it, which doesn't allow for us to live in joy. Or we can confess our sins to God and experience His cleansing and renewal, and our lives will overflow with joy.