Joyful Morning

by Meaghan Troup

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Price

$500

Dimensions

18.000 x 24.000 x 0.500 inches

Title

Joyful Morning

Artist

Meaghan Troup

Medium

Painting - Oil On Canvas

Description

Merriam Webster defines joy as the emotion evoked by well-being, success, good-fortune, or the prospect of possessing what one desires. Happiness is listed as a synonym for joy. Do you see a problem with this portrayal of joy? I find several discrepancies with this interpretation of joy being a lasting happiness, and with it being determined as synonymous with happiness itself. Happiness is fleeting. It is dependent on temporal factors. If we consider joy as tantamount to happiness, then joy is also temporary and fluxuates based on one's circumstances. If life is going well there is joy, but when life is difficult there is no joy. If joy is wavering, then it is not something you can cling to when you face a tragedy or hardship. I would argue that joy and happiness are not equivalent because, in fact, joy can remain with a person regardless of their circumstances. The reason? Real joy originates with God. This piece is called "Joyful Morning" and is inspired by the following verse:

"For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5

So what is joy exactly? Joy is Biblically significant. Depending on the translation, the Bible uses the words happy and happiness about 30 times. In contrast, the terms joy and rejoice appear over 300 times. The word joy is derived from the Greek word "Chara" meaning to be exceedingly glad.

Joy is a gift from God (one of the fruits of the spirit). True joy is given to those who accept Christ as their Savior and follow God's Word. Joy, as defined by this world, is a pale imitation of the true joy that God can give us.

Joy is a commandment. God commands us to be full of joy - "rejoicing always." When we are filled with joy, our relationships with God and with others will produce joy. If joy were an emotion based on circumstances, this command would seem harsh and unrealistic. However, as believers, we know that God commands many things for His children to accomplish that they could never do with their own capabilities, and He empowers them to achieve these things.

Joy is both an outcome of our relationship with God and our source of strength for our obedience to Him. This is essentially the joy of the Lord! The joy of the Lord is our source of peace and fulfillment. As we focus on God, He grows us in grace. This relationship is so much greater than being religious. It is walking through every moment of every day living for God's glory.

Joy is associated with the true worship of God. It is the fuel that drives the engine of our worshiping hearts. Pure joy results when we focus our hearts and minds on God.

Joy is a treasure. The joy of the Lord cannot be taken away- it is eternal because it is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ, who is our everlasting source of joy. However, our joy can be stolen when we allow sin to enter our lives and damage our relationship with our Heavenly Father. The Bible warns that the devil will do everything within his power to steal our joy because it is that valuable.

Joy is not circumstantial. We can be grieving and yet always rejoicing. This is because we are promised the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, the joy of the Lord becomes a part of the very core of our being. Due to this, we innately know that regardless of our situation, God is with us and He is above all.

True joy is genuine and cannot be imitated. It is not a facade that can be worn when we encounter obstacles in our lives so that others won't see the reality of our situation. Joy is a natural product of putting God first in our lives regardless of what we may be facing.

Joy is not simply an emotion, but an attitude of the heart. It is not necessarily a result of something positive, but it is the outcome of a deep, abiding confidence that God is always with us. Joy is the result of remaining steadfast in the knowledge that God is our strength, comfort, and ultimate goal.

There will be times of sorrow in life. The Bible tells us that our walk with God will be tumultuous- full of ups and downs. Throughout scripture we can see the hardships that Christians have faced. At times, God allows trials in our lives because they can be tremendous tools in the capable hands of our unfailing Father to grow us in grace. There may be times when we feel joyless because we have lost our focus on God. Sin in our lives can make us the source of our own distress. Perhaps, with good intentions, we are attempting to fix a situation that we have no control over, or maybe we haven't completely surrendered our problems to God.

Interestingly, the Jewish day begins at sundown. This follows the laws of nature and the Biblical account of Creation. When we read the Biblical account of Creation, we see that evening is mentioned before the morning, defining the day as beginning with nighttime and followed by the morning. What is the significance of this? Joy in the morning isn't always when things appear good and bright. Sometimes joy in the morning comes during the darkest hours of night.

Weeping is temporary. God Himself has ordained that no night will endure forever. He sent His only Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to cover our sins, ensuring that one day those who believe in Him will spend eternity in the joyful morning of His presence. When we look at our lives and see what God has already done for us- how he has delivered us, protected us, and strengthened us over and over- we realize that there is nothing to be distressed about.

Joy is a choice. It is choosing joy over bitterness, anger and sorrow. It is choosing to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and following Him because He is Joy. It is recognizing that Christ has done for us what we could never do for ourselves, and remembering where God has brought us from.

In the Finger Lakes where I grew up, and here in Central PA, summertime blankets the fallow fields in cosmos flowers- my favorite. When the inevitable summer storm wreaks its fury, these delicate flowers are pressed down to the earth, but as the sun breaks through, they once again rise up and display themselves as beautifully ever. I am ceaselessly amazed at how something so fragile can be so strong.

My personal experiences have taught me that life is never easy. We will all face obstacles on our journey through life, but joy can always be with you. When we allow God to have control of our weeping nights, we are able to clearly see the joyful morning approaching. Like wildflowers after a summer storm, with faith in God, we can consider our trials as joy, rise above them, and find joy in the way they have strengthened us.

4th Place "Love Is In the Air", Feb. 2013; 5th Place "Eternity",Feb. 2013; Top 10 "Damien Henzel Appeal", Feb. 2013; Top 15 "Many Petals", Feb. 2013

Uploaded

February 6th, 2013

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