Day 13 of Finding Joy in the Journey
Luke 15:10
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Joyful Journey talks about a new normal that results from the daily practice of joy building: Here is the third and final step:
From the Joyful Journey book:
Creating a new normal, step 3.
The third step to a new normal comes by practicing five minutes of interactive gratitude three times a day for a month. Starting and ending my day with appreciation and throwing a dose in the middle helps my brain realize, “I can do this all day.” The marvel of our brain as a learning machine is that once it knows how to feel good, it can keep that good feeling going and have a good feeling any time of the day. It decides, “I'll make this my new normal.”
~ page 64, Joyful Journey, Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow
Session A: We continue revisiting joyful memories previously recorded on your Golden Moments list. Look for God’s presence in the joys. Invite God to share His thoughts about the joy you’re recalling. Don’t forget to notice body sensations, attitudes, heart rate, etc.
Journal Prompt:
Practice seeing God in the present and past joys
Key Words:
My child, there is great joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. This is the kind of joy I want to see become contagious. Join Me in celebrating those bathing in repentant joy – yours or someone else’s!
Afternoon Session
Luke 15:24
For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
What do you see of God’s character in the above verse?
From the Joyful Journey book:
It is important to note that when we write down our impressions of God's answers, we must later check our impressions against God's character. God's character can be seen in who God says He is in the Bible. The whole bible reveals His character. Our thoughts of what God is saying to us need to rhyme with God's thoughts and His character revealed in scripture....The difference between our imagination and a mutual-mind state would be that God's character would be misrepresented and not bring peace. There is room for error in our impressions of God. We are limited and our thinking is deformed. Let's have the freedom to admit that we can be wrong in our impressions of God, just as we can be wrong about our impressions of what our spouse or family members might be commun-icating to us. This fallibility does not stop us from seeking to understand what our loved ones are saying.
~ page 20, Joyful Journey, Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow
Session B: Remember, you can share your joy stories with others for your 5 minutes. It builds community and spreads the joy
Journal Prompt:
What do you see of God's character in Luke 15:24?
Key Words:
[Father God] You, My child, were once dead in sin, but now you are alive in Christ (Romans 6:11) That is why I am full of joy regarding you. Don’t ever question your value to Me. I gave My own Son for you. I love you.
Evening Session
The following quote is a wonderful preferred future:
JJQ] Ultimately if we are in an intimate and growing relationship with God, we will begin to exhibit mutual-mind states with Him. Our thoughts and His thoughts will flow fluidly between us and we will begin to think and look like the One we love. We will begin to like what He likes, love like He loves and grieve with Him for the things He grieves. We will begin to reflect Him more and more. Our interactions will mirror our growing bond with God.
~ page 21, Joyful Journey, Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow
Journal Prompt:
What are your interations with God?
Key Words:
Psalm 43:4
Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.
Prayer
As David did and so many after him too, I join the procession to go to Your altar Lord God. You God are my exceeding joy; with music I will praise You, my God.
I give everyone and everything to You God;
I give everyone and everything to You.