Hi my friends, welcome to Day 26, Choose Joy!
Nehemiah 8, 10 says, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the smeet, and send portions to those for
whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the
Lord is your strength. This is one of my favorite passages in scripture because it just expresses
the heart of God. You know, the Israelites were aware of their sin, they had just found the law,
the book of the Bible, and they were convicted. And Nehemiah is saying, no, you know, don't sorrow,
like the joy of the Lord is your strength. Celebrate his goodness, celebrate who God is.
And so today, you know, choose joy. It's an act that can transform our outlook and
strengthen our resolve. You know, in Nehemiah we're reminded that joy is not dependent on
our circumstances, but rooted in our relationship with God. So let's choose to embrace the joy that
comes from God and to share this joy with others. You see, when we're pursuing our dream,
it is like a roller coaster. There are so many unexpected twists and turns, and it's easy for us
to lose heart, for us to be frustrated sometimes in our own weaknesses, our own failures or struggles.
But when we reflect on the goodness of God, it can bring us the joy and the strength to continue
forward in our intentionality of pursuing our dreams. So our activation for today is what
brings you joy. How can you choose joy in your circumstances? And then take time to identify
something joyful that you can engage in today, whether it's spending time with friends,
a hobby, being in nature, creating something, you know, having a feast, going out to dinner
and celebrating. Just be joyful in who God is today. So let me pray for you, my friends. So God,
thank you. Thank you for the gift of joy. Thank you that you understand the joy that was set
before you on the cross, and that even though you endured great pain, that you were able to see
beyond that. And so too for my friends. God, I pray that they'd be able to choose joy in every
situation, the challenging ones, the painful ones, and the good ones, and that they would just share
this joy with others. May their hearts be just full of the gratitude and the goodness of God,
and that they would celebrate the blessings in their life. Lord, help them to be carriers of
this joy and may you strengthen them with your joy this day. In Jesus name, Amen. Okay, my friends,
I hope you have a joyful day and I'll see you again tomorrow.