“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him…” – Psalm 95:2

How do we reflect our gratitude to God for the wonderful things He has done in our lives? It seems like a simple question but the answer for most of us might come with some difficulty. How often do we really consecrate our daily actions and attitude to testify of God’s great love?

To answer these questions honestly is to admit that we do not do enough to express our joy to the world around us. Christians are often lumped into three stereo types; the sugary sweet, naive person who is misguided in their attempts to spread joy; the “Eeyore” Christian who is a pessimist, always complaining about the difficulty of the Christian Life and the hardships of God’s impossible standards; and (the most popular) the judgmental Christian who takes pride in the misery of others who continually fall short of (their interpretation of) God’s standards while boasting in their legalism.

Paul said “to live is Christ”… IS Christ. There is no other reason to live. God has granted us a place in heaven even though our own works merit eternity in hell, separated from Him. He has made us joint-heirs with His Son, Jesus. He has given us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us so that He is always there when we need Him. When you look in the mirror do you realize that the face reflected will one day see God’s face because of what He has done? If that thought does not bring a joy to your heart that is then made evident by your conduct, then what is hindering you? Are we to continue on in silence or should we allow our conduct to proclaim the joy of knowing our Great and Awesome God?

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and [that] your joy may be full.” – John 15:11