You know the gist: You wake up in the morning and before your feet hit the floor, you have thoughts running through your mind that are telling you how to feel. Sometimes you listen, already anxious for the day that’s ahead … already defeated by the image you’ll see in the mirror … already sad about the state of your circumstance.

But you ultimately have two choices: You can listen to the lies, or you can speak truth back at them.

I would argue that the latter is the far more effective way to dwell in joy—but I know it’s not always easy. The first step in this plan of attack is being able to spot and take captive those sneaky little lies, or even half-truths, that have snuck into your mind.

For example, my most common half-truth that seems to constantly be shouting in my head is: “You’re beautiful because God made you, but you’d be so much prettier if you lost twenty pounds. Think how happy you’ll be when your pants fit better!”

Sneaky. Almost true—because, yes, God did make me in His image and sees me as beautiful. And if the thought stopped there, we’d all be much more confident! But the other half of the thought is that I cannot be joyful, content, confident—until I lose the weight, look better in shorts, workout more, etc.

When Jesus was teaching His disciples about abiding in John 15, He explained the correlation of His word and our joy: 

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11

So how do we practice dwelling in the complete joy He’s offered to us through His living and active Word? I love to journal, so it helps me to physically write down the thoughts that have snuck in and literally scratch them out! I am reminded of God’s power through this action, then I write down the Scripture that I need to claim in it’s place. Sometimes I even carry those verses around and meditate on them whenever I find myself slipping back into the wrong belief of the old thoughts.

The goal is not to worship Scripture in this process—the goal is to know Jesus more through His Word so that we may worship Him in Spirit and in Truth regardless of how we feel that day. I love this quote by Elisabeth Eliott:

Worship is not an experience. Worship is an act, and this takes discipline. We are to worship ‘in spirit and in truth.’ Never mind about feelings. We are to worship in spite of them. –Elisabeth Eliott

Below are some examples of this—and I would love to hear what scriptures you are clinging to as replacement of those old thoughts.

To the friend who believes that joy, contentment, or satisfaction can only be found in a relationship, or feels unheard and forgotten by the Lord in this season of singleness:

·      God loves you with His steadfast love. Psalm 136

·      God has perfect timing and can see beyond our immediate situation. 2 Peter 3:8, Ecclesiastes 3:11

·      God hears your prayers and He has good plans for you. Micah 7:7, Jeremiah 29:11

To the friend who longs to be a mom, but struggles with infertility or the pain of a miscarriage, and believes that joy and fulfillment are constantly out of reach with each passing month, or that you are missing out on the joy in this life until you’re a mother:

·      Your Abba Father knit you together and He knows your heart. Psalm 139:13, Jeremiah 17:10

·      God hears your cries and He sees the desire of your heart. Psalm 37:4, 37:40

·      God is at work in the waiting. This season is not meant to be rushed through. Lamentations 3:25-26

To the friend in the deep pit of depression, hurting more each day and wracked with anxiety, believing that this will forever be your lot in life, or that life is not worth living:

·      God has not left you alone. Psalm 139:7-10, Hebrews 13:5

·      He has called you daughter and you are no longer slave to fear. Romans 8:15

·      You can rejoice that He keeps you in perfect peace. Isaiah 26:3

·      God will not let you go from His hand. Isaiah 41:13

To the friend exhausted from striving for perfection and the acceptance of man, tired of not being “enough” and feeling constantly like a disappointment, too much to handle, or just unworthy:

·      In God’s good grace, He says you are enough in Christ because you are His new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20

·      You are already accepted today, as you are in Christ. 1 Peter 2:9

·      When God looks at you, He sees Jesus, and He loves you because you’re covered in that grace.  Romans 8:1, Galatians 3:27

To the friend with a failing marriage, or children who are distant from God and from you, to the lost and hurting, to the woman who looks in the mirror and hates what she sees, to the woman who is lonely, sick, sad, suffering, believing that there will never be hope and that your circumstances are defining your life:

·      God is near to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18

·      God comes near to us. Lamentations 3:57, James 4:8

·      God is strong in our weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

·      God does not cast off forever. Lamentations 3:31

·      God has redeemed you. Titus 2:11-14, Ephesians 1:7, Job 33:28

·      God works all things together for our good and His glory. Romans 8:28

Just like we saw in 2 Chronicles 20:12 on the blog post Monday – Jehoshaphat prayed this beautiful explanation of joy: “WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU”. Let’s remember these foundational truths and listen to the joy that they bring, rather than believing the lies of our enemy.

·      God’s love for you is bigger than your circumstance, and better than this life, friends. Psalm 63:3

·      His steadfast love endures forever, so that in this we might recognize and receive His grace. Psalm 136:1

·      We can rejoice in the Lord’s provision. Philippians 4:19

·      We know that all the promises of God find their yes in Jesus – so we can say yes to JOY even when we hear no in this life. 2 Corinthians 1:20

·      We trust that God satisfies our every desire through Himself. Psalm 145:16

·      We say yes to peace and abundant life in Christ. John 10:10

·      We say yes to grace and yes to freedom. Galatians 5:1

rejoicing in the truth,

rachael