{RE:} Restored Joy

April 5th, 2022

Wednesday: Restored Joy

Read Psalm 51: 10-12

"Create in me a clean heart, Of God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in my a willing (generous) spirit."

Reflect

Do you remember a time when you felt full of joy in your relationship with God? Perhaps that describes you right now, perhaps it's something you need to pause and think about for a few moments. Some people remember intense moments in their faith journey, "mountaintop experiences," that produce unshakable joy. Others may remember quieter seasons when their faith became progressively more clear, more personal, more real.

I have a mix of both in my personal memory and you may too.

What does it feel like to experience joy in God's salvation? Does it change anything else in your life, relationships, work, etc?
When you think of seasons when you have experienced the most joy in God, can you think of the situations and events that surrounded it? What brought that joy out? A personal breakthrough, or a time when God answered a prayer. A season when God was always speaking, or learning something new.

We usually think of this verse in terms of our personal salvation - and that is certainly something to be filled with joy over! But I have found it so overwhelming at times to consider God's desire for the salvation and restoration of all things - all people, all creation, the whole cosmos!

Take a moment to reflect on this truth. That God is concerned with the restoration of all people and all of creation. That includes you! And it includes all the people, systems, and places that your heart longs to see restored!

Joy leaks doesn't it? Sometimes our joy is quickly shaken, but usually it's a slow drip that we don't notice until it's almost gone.

What kinds of things drain your joy?
What kinds of things bring you joy?

Sometimes Joy leaks because of difficult situations, but sometimes it just slowly drains in the every day routines and tasks we face. I love that the psalmist doesn't only ask for a restored joy, but also for a willing (sometimes called steadfast) spirit.

What are some everyday things you can do to refill and remain steadfast with God's joy?

Respond

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”
I recall what great peace,
what great tranquility of soul I enjoyed
when I rejoiced in the Lord,
and found delight in God my Savior.
Yes, now I grieve even more
because I know what I have lost.
I know what very great benefits I have lost.
Yes, I cry frantically,
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”
Restore what you have taken away from me because of my sins.
Restore what I have lost through my own fault.
Restore through Jesus’ merits,
who always stands at your right hand
and makes intercession for us,
that through him I may know
that you are reconciled to me,
that the seal is set on my heart,
that I may say with the apostle—
“I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me.”

Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498)

5 Comments

Add Your Comment

Nick Tebordo - April 6th, 2022 at 4:57am

When I am feeling "blah", I am learning to ask the Holy Spirit to refill me and restore joy. It is not like flipping a switch, but often I find myself in a flow of the Spirit with restored joy. I have to remind myself that I am not controlled by emotions but by the Holy Spirit. In fact, I believe it is a nudge of the Spirit that causes me to remember to ask for that move from "blah" to restored joy. God is so faithful! Truly the fruit of the fruit of the Spirit grows in us when we ask, seek and knock.

David Edelstein - April 6th, 2022 at 6:01am

The one line from the Savonarola prayer (above) that troubles me is: Restore what you have taken away from me because of my sins. God's taking away His Spirit reminds me of our recent reading of Saul. That reading made me fear that God could permanently remove his Spirit from people or from me. However, I know that fear is baseless because if the Spirit in me only leaks, it never leaves me completely. The evidence of that is when the Spirit nudges us to remember to ask Him for help. That is a big relief! Thanks be to the completed work of Jesus.

Linda Comstock - April 6th, 2022 at 7:29am

I struggled with joy in my life until Pastor Kaitlyn preached on it and uncovered what real joy of the Lord is. To me joy was a feeling of happiness. A euphoric feeling. Today I know I have joy in my life, in my heart and in my spirit through Christ. There is much to be thankful about in my life. That as I remember all that He has done and restored, renewed and resurrected, I find joy. Worship music keeps me focused on Him....the joy of my life.

Melody - April 6th, 2022 at 7:57am

I'm with Linda on this-- I also used to measure joy by happiness. But now I think I measure it more by contentment, which runs a lot deeper than just feeling cheerful. I consistently get a refill of joy in nature, even small doses like going out to feed the chickens in the morning or walking across campus from my office to the classrooms and smelling the fresh air, grass coming in, even that weird wormy smell on the sidewalks when it rains. Or just sitting on the back porch watching the river.

But it leaks out, for me, from stress, especially if I'm getting financial stress or timing stress--if I'm feeling like I'm running out of time or money for whatever. Honestly the only times I remember it draining out all at once were times of great sadness or trauma, hearing someone has died or being unexpectedly abused in some way. But those have been very rare times, fortunately!

Susan Blais - April 6th, 2022 at 9:00am

Actually, the restoration of joy in my heart happened yesterday when I commented both in this study and in my U Bible response as well. In both instances I commented how God responded two needs in my life. I was so overwhelmed at what the Lord had done for me even in these two instances, and realized how many times he had responded to my needs. I immediately went into prayer thanking the Lord for his goodness, his mercy, and for my salvation. Sometimes I forget how good the Lord has been to me, and these two instruments (This study and the Bible study) have brought them to mind once more and allowed me to experience this joy. Thank you Lord for reminding me how good you are And restoring joy into my life.