Are you joy-deprived?

Fri, 14 Jul 2023

‘I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.’ John 10:10

Your lungs need oxygen to thrive, your body needs food to thrive, and your soul needs joy to thrive. How can you tell when someone is joy-deprived? By how they look and what they say. John 10:10 helps us to understand that God wants us to live life fully while the enemy will try to deceive us into thinking that enjoying life is not important and it is wrong to be having fun rather than working hard. You may have been influenced by a parent who appeared to never enjoy life and seemed aggravated when others did. Maybe you were told to be quiet when you laughed out loud. Some people work so hard trying to please God that the thought of simply enjoying Him doesn’t occur to them. Don’t let another day go by where you miss out on enjoying God and everything He has to offer. If you can relate, it’s time to make some changes in your life. Take a break without feeling guilty; you will be much more productive when you’re rested and refreshed. Recreation is not unspiritual; it’s essential to staying in balance. We live in a driven, stressed-out society, but you can change; you can be joyful if you choose to.