A Work of A.R.T.

I've never wrote a blog before, but was asked to write a devotional recently & felt I should share with others.  Hope this devotional helps you to enjoy each day & each person in your life more fully.  Note: This devotional was originally intended for married couples, but everyone can get a lot out of it!



Why Do You Give Away Your Joy?

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that (they) you may have life, and have it abundantly!" John 10:10 ~NASV

Did you know that many of us give away our joy? Like myself, you may be thinking... come on, why would I do that? Sometimes we give away our joy to try to get our way, have self-pity or make someone else look like the bad one. Can you remember a time when your husband left the toilet seat up, your wife didn’t finish the dishes on the counter, or better yet somebody left crumbs on the counter right after you scrubbed it...and you let it ruin your next hour, the rest of your night or maybe your entire day? I am embarrassed to say, I can.

As I look back on it, the crumbs on my nicely cleaned counter really weren’t worth the frustration they brought up between Andy and I when I mentioned it. I allowed the thief to come into our home for an evening and steal my joy, kill the peace that was cultivated between us for some time and destroy what would’ve been, a fun evening with my husband. Why would I do that? To "prove" he has no respect for what I do around the house or some other selfish made-up reason? Sadly, yes! We need to search our hearts and seek God when we start to allow these thoughts into our mind. God is the one who rewards us for working extra hours to provide or diligently cleaning our home, not our husband/wife. So quit seeking the reward from your spouse. God sees all you are doing and have done and is proud of you. If someone comes by and messes up your counter, cast your care to God and ask Him what to do about it. Maybe you should give the other person some grace this evening or maybe He will lead you to kindly ask them to wipe down the counter when they are done. Either way, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are seeking the Lord in your marriage even in the tiniest of matters. When you do this, you will see great reward from the Lord and guess what!?!... it’s usually displayed through an appreciation coming from your one and only... Spouse!!

Discuss Together:

*When was the last time you gave away your joy? (Take some time to think about how this affected all the aspects of your life, during even that short period of time, whether positive or negative)

*Why did you give it away?

*What did it accomplish? And was it worth it?

*Who suffered the most when you chose to give it away?

Father, Help us to seek you even in the tiniest of matters and glorify you in our actions. Reward us for this diligence Lord, by cultivating a peace in our home and marriage. Cause us to praise one another often and give grace to each other even more! Make us to guard our hearts and our minds so that we may not give up our joy so easily anymore. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.