Oh My Goodness! Is That Joy You’re Wearing?!

Have you ever been walking through the mall or talking to a friend and they said, “Oh my goodness what perfume are you wearing?’ ‘It smells so good!’” Or maybe you’ve been the person that asked someone else that same question. A good perfume has a very fragrant scent that is hard not to notice, but do you know what is even harder to ignore? The Joy of the Lord! It is by far the most contagious heavenly mindset ever, and it is such a gift to be touched by it, whether it’s through a friend, family member, or even a stranger. What would it look like for us to walk around strutting the Joy of the Lord? What would it look like for us to choose to be joyful in the midst of hard times and situations. Hebrews 12:2 says, “looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (NKJV). Wait a minute, I’m not sure I read that right, did Hebrews 12:2 just say that Jesus had joy when He endured the cross?!? Yes, Jesus chose to go through one of the most painful ways on earth to die, and He still chose to have joy! As I sat looking at this piece of scripture, I decided to read on and discover why and how Jesus would choose to have joy in the midst of such dreadful circumstances. The following verse read, “ Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (NIV, Hebrews. 12.3). Wow! When I think about the deliberate choice Jesus made to die on the cross for our sins, and the fact that He chose to be joyful about it in order to give us, His children, an example of how His joy can help sustain us in the toughest of times, I for one feel confident that God’s Joy can help me get through anything! So as we look at the world around us, and remember all that our Lord endured on our behalf, I want to challenge us to choose joy when we’re feeling sad, mad, happy, glad, and even jubilant! As Daughters of the King, we are God’s choice models for His best selling fragrances, and right now “Joie de Seigneur” (Joy of the Lord) is in high demand! So the next time you go to the store, and the lady walking by you asks, “What is it that you are wearing?’ ‘It is so beautiful?” I encourage you to smile, turn around, and say, “Oh this, it’s God’s newest fragrance, Joie du Seigneur!’  ‘Want to know the best part about it?’ ‘It’s absolutely free!’”