Joy Resurrected by: @jenniferowhite

The resurrection of Jesus’ dead body. Three long days dead and then suddenly alive.

My once hopeless and depressed heart came to life and now radiates with His joy. I didn’t know Joy was missing, but He did. There were decades that I could not have defined or even described joy. I’m so amazed by how He has changed my life.

 Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy;
  no shadow of shame will darken their faces. Psalm 34:5

Today I’m sharing with you a few lines from my prayer journal after meditating on Psalm 34:5. May this true account of my life with God give you Hope because:

Nothing is Impossible with God

You helped me believe that You really love me. When I grasped the Truth, self-hatred seemed to evaporate and I began to see Your joy.

You forgave me for shameful crimes against Your Kingdom way. You moved toward me with mercy when You had every right to judge me. I found the freedom to exhale. I suddenly had hope that you enjoyed me.

You put large portions of Your Word in my days and taught me peace would come with obedience. I raced forward determined to say “Yes” to Your commands. I found peace and confidence and rejoiced in my newfound love of Your Word.

You counseled me to choose for myself the healing that forgiveness would bring. I forgave and inhaled without resistance from the necklace of bricks that had hung on my neck. Your faithfulness to me brought me joy.

You appointed people to love me and pray for me. I received the help from You that I did not know how to request. You were rescuing me so that I could radiate with Your joy.

You brought healing to my aching, chronically fatigued body. You renewed my ability to eat without pain. The amazing truth of Your power to heal and Your willingness to heal me dismissed the furrow from my brow. I began to radiate Your joy.

You are faithfully delivering me from the ancient ruins of earlier generations. It is my joy to tell others You are able.

You saved me from myself. You taught me to replace my thoughts with Your truths.  You brought truth, hope, peace, healing, and joy to our marriage.

You taught me to invite Your conviction, to confess my sins to You and others. I watched my shame and burden evaporate. I felt freedom as if I had lost five pounds and my clothes finally fit. Your joy now radiates from a place in me much deeper than I can describe.

You told me to pray, “Lord, slay my pride,” and you gave me the courage to pray it. You taught me there was freedom in self-forgetfulness. You released me from the prison of comparing myself to others. Your truth remodeled my perspective and made more room for me to hold Your Joy.

You sent me a Joy missionary who taught me to ask You for more Joy. I asked and You generously gave more than I could have imagined. I see myself enjoying my marriage,  my family and my days and I am amazed.

My life is exceedingly better than I knew it could be. Your infinite power at work in my little life is the source of my Joy.  

How has His Joy come to live in you? 

Do you need a Joy resurrection?

God is Able!

Jennifer O. White is the author of Prayers for New Brides: Putting on the Armor after the Wedding Dress (January 2015). You are invited to join her on a brave life, marriage, and world-changing adventure with Jesus at her blog: Prayerfully Speaking.