Editor's Note: This is part of a daily devotional series provided through the month of December
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 John 15: 9-14
I was reading the other day about a little girl who lives in Winnipeg, Canada and she entered a contest, she wanted to see how long she could smile, she wanted to break the Guinness Book of World Records so she smiled as long as she could smile. The previous record in the Guinness book of World Records was seven hours and thirty-two minutes. Someone had held a smile for seven hours and thirty minutes and this little girl, Lisa Lester, was able to smile for ten hours and five minutes.
But friend, there's a difference between joy and smiling. You can smile perhaps for ten hours and five minutes and then that smile will leave your face. But I want to tell you, even when the tears are coursing down your cheeks there can be joy in your heart. This is the joy that will never leave you. Jesus Christ was facing the cross when he spoke of his joy and he said these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you.
Now, why does it remain? Well, you see, the constancy of your joy is linked to the source of your joy. If the source of your joy is in things, when those things fail you, then your joy is going to fail you. Now, if the source of your joy is external, then it will not be constant. For example, if you get your joy out of amusement when you can no longer be amused, then your joy is gone. If you get your joy out of your business and your business fails, then your joy is gone. If you get your joy from your health and your health fails then your joy is gone. If you get your joy from your family and there's nothing wrong in getting your joy from your business, your health, your family, that's all fine. They all have their place.
The bible says, rejoice with the wife of thy youth. But how about when your wife goes to heaven. Your wife is taken from you. Now what about if your family breaks up. Does that mean that your joy can be taken? Well, if that's the only place you are getting your joy, then your joy is gone. But you see, Jesus never changes. Jesus is always there and that is the reason that your joy can remain. Your joy can be steadfast and nothing can take it away.
