Joy in Eucharisteo.

In this life that is so very broken I have been unearthing the true significance of joy. I am seeking for Jesus and in the journey of this, finding true joy in Him. I often wonder what it would look like to live a life of unceasing joy, even in the midst of a broken world. My thoughts then sway towards the concept of Eucharisteo.

Eucharisteo. Which in Greek means these three words below.

Charis – Grace.

Chara – Joy.

Eucharisteo- Thanksgiving.

Grace. Joy. Thanksgiving.

Three marks of Jesus.

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Jesus, who is about to be murdered for the sins of His beloveds gave thanks! Knowing that He himself, The Son of God would be tortured, beaten, mocked and hung on a cross, He gave thanks. Jesus knew that He would face suffering by taking on the sins of men and the wrath of God on a cross, yet before He does any of that, knowingly He gives thanks!

How often do we give thanks in the midst of our suffering? Do we only give thanks to God when life is performing the way we'd like it to? Do we thank Him because He is deserving of all thanks in all circumstances, or do we give thanks in the circumstances we see fit? Thankfulness happens when we see Jesus as enough, not when He has given us enough in life.

Thankfulness flows from a heart of Joy. A heart of joy flows from a heart that is pursuing Jesus. A heart that is pursuing Jesus is a heart that has been given grace by Jesus Himself, all for His namesake. True joy is in thanksgiving, it is in grace, it is in Christ, and this all takes place in a broken world with broken people that are being made new in Christ.

"The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be - unbelievably - possible!" - Ann Voskamp

Joy vs. Pride

I am off on an adventure; I am discovering joy, being fully alive where I am in the moment, yet fully desiring more of the Lord in my contentment.

Throughout this endeavor, I am finding that the further I attempt to explore the concept of being abundantly satisfied in Christ, joy in Christ plays a role in this, a very great role. 

Pride also plays a part in the script.

Pride is many things; it is belief that you deserve something. Pride is brought on by self and it strips you of joy. A prideful heart crushes joy and leaves no room for thanksgiving. A prideful man is rarely a grateful one, for he thinks he deserves more than what he has, when in fact he deserve the profound contrary- death.

We have this sense of entitlement, of things we believe we ought to have, things due to us. But praise be to God that he does not give us what we deserve, instead He gives us grace, undeserving, blissful, indescribable grace.

Exchange your pride for thanksgiving and worship. Lay all things at the feet of Jesus, open up your hands and ask Him to give you more of Him, not more things that will soon vanish like vapor, but more of Him!

He satisfies and brings forth joy with Himself, for He is the satisfier of all desires and needs.

Proverbs 11:2

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. 1John  2:16 For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world.

Joy vs. Complaints

Complaints, they are the cries of unbelief and distrust in a Holy and good God.

Our complaints denotes doubt, it purges us of thankfulness, and rids us of joy.

I’ve noticed in myself the complaining that derives from my heart. An ugly heart, all at the root of its being is my lack of thankfulness, it's sin. In the garden Adam and Eve thought they needed more, they were unthankful for what God had already given them, so they disobeyed. And I disobey and complain because I think that I deserve better, more than what I have been given. I complain because I believe that things are not measuring up, or people are not measuring up, or life in general is just not measuring up. I complain due of the pride that grips my heart, because I believe that things need to go my way.

Complaining is ungodly, it is being ungrateful and it reveals the amount of dissatisfaction that our hearts holds, it shows that we are lacking in our joy in Christ. Christ has given us everything we need in Him; there is no need to complain in any circumstance. If you have Jesus, you have everything!

Look towards Jesus, love Jesus, pursue after Jesus and the grumbles will soon dissolve, your heart will be overwhelmed with more of Him, fully satisfied, full of joy, all for His glory.

Philippians 2:14-16

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

This endeavor of joy.

A venture that is inwardly moving, spiraling in the gravities of my tangled mind. A constant, central focus on Christ, and the notion of joy He places in the depths of this heart.

I am recognizing the joy in thanks, that being thankful brings forth joy. Being thankful in the times of mess, unrighteous anger, unexpected times, and every day life.

Be thankful with an unceasing thanksgiving. Trade the ugliness of me for more of Him, along with an offering of thanks, regardless of the circumstance.

Giving thanks is an action, an action that must be completed with a willing heart. Although joy will subside and an unthankful heart takes hold, joy is deeper than feelings; its saying “Yes!” to whatever God has graciously given in life, and being thankful despite the ugly that is brought on by a sinful nature.

You receive joy in Christ when you offer up thanksgiving to Him who is deserving of all thanksgiving. Exchange your fleshly desires for a heart of gratefulness and joy.

I challenge you to embark on this journey with me, see how a heart of joyous thanksgiving transforms a heart of ungodly ungratefulness.

“I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:18