Thursday, October 17, 2024:
Reviewing Our Joy (morning)
Philippians 2:1-2 ESV
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Review
Can I think of people with whom I share the same mind the same love and are in one accord with? Who do I feel connected to in the Spirit of God? With whom do I share and find comfort under god's love?
Repent if Necessary
Repent if necessary of not pursuing relationships with fellow Christians to experience comfort encouragement or sympathy, or for accepting dividing between myself and others.
Return (as necessary)
Return as necessary: By seeking encouragement from Christ, letting him comfort you in his love and asking the holy spirit to lead you into joyful relationships with others.
Alright. On to your 5 minutes of joy for the morning:
Pray aloud
Lord Jesus, may You find joy in Your disciples as we share “the same mind” and “the same love” Paul wanted to see. Encourage our mutual journey and comfort us as we participate in life under Your Spirit.
Five Minutes
Use your GO TO JOYS and ANTICIPATED JOYS to fill a 5-minute window. Remember: use an alarm. If necessary, review the explanation.
Read the identity in Christ
statement aloud
In Christ, we can be of the same mind, have the same love, being in full accord with each other.
Closing Prayer
Close with thanks to God for these moments together.
Ask Him to bless the upcoming day, then…
GO – in JOY, with JOY anticipating JOY
Thursday, October 17, 2024:
Sometime During Your Day
Level 3: Savoring joys of the past.
Journal Prompt:
Joy memory related to music.
Key Words:
Pondering Point
The Joyful Journey book teaches about relational circuits, one of the Foundational Five relational skills. Knowing what they are and how they get turned off is helpful. Knowing how to turn them back on is crucial. As we dig into the idea of our relational circuits, here is the book’s checklist:
Relational Circuits Checklist
(are our relational circuits on or off?)
- I just want to make a problem, person or feeling go away.
- I don't want to listen to what others feel or say
- My mind is “locked on” to something upsetting
- I don't want to be connected to ________ (someone I usually like)
- I just want to get away, fight, or freeze (versus Calm + Connect)
- I more aggressively interrogate, judge and fix others
If we answered YES to any of these questions, then our relational circuits are OFF. Everything related to relational conflicts will turn out better when our relational circuits are back ON.
~ Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow, Joyful Journey, page 29.
Listening to Jesus...
I am with you (individually and collectively); let Me encourage you to be of the same mind, share the same love, and be of one accord.
Prayer
Let Your Holy Spirit lead the way for us, producing a comforting love, deep affection, and true sympathy – resulting in a joy that would make the Apostle Paul smile – that would make You smile Jesus. Amen.
Reviewing Our Joy (evening)
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Philippians 2:1-2 ESV
So if there is any encouragement in Christ,
any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Pondering Point
These verses are full of various joys that don't require happiness. In giving or receiving, where did you enjoy:
- Encouragement in Christ?
- Comfort from His love?
- Participation in the Holy Spirit?
- Affection and sympathy?
- Experience mutual joy by being of the same mind?
- Experience having the same love?
- Experience being in full accord with someone else?
You can celebrate those in your upcoming 5 minutes. For this evening, we will swap parts 1 and 2 so you can thank God for those moments after you complete your joy habit.
Pray aloud
Thank You, Father God for such moments of joy that are not always equated with happiness, but are blessings from You indeed.
Review
Scour the day for ANTICIPATED or SURPRISE JOYS. You are training your brain to look for joy. This builds the habit. Recall the body sensations and emotion.
This solidifies the habit. Remember: use an alarm
Read the identity in Jesus
statement aloud
In Jesus, we are people who work together (with sympathy and affection) under the same mind and love, appreciating encouragement in Christ, comfort from His love, and participation in His Spirit.
Evening Prayer
Thank God for blessing the day, ask for peaceful rest, then GO to sleep – in grateful JOY, anticipating new JOY tomorrow under His grace.