Bearing Fruit

I read this today:

 "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have served, and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life— that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us —  what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete." 1John 1:1

God makes our joy complete.  Not our job.  Not our wallet.  Not our relationships.  Not our deeds... nor any number of things we are told to value.  No.  God makes our JOY complete.  In EVERY circumstance.  Though it is so hard to find and hold on to that joy.  To escape is so much easier, in fact, it doesn't take much at all to get lost in work, lost in a relationship, lost in our sadness and fear, lost in a book, lost in the television, etc, etc...

But, brothers and sisters, we have been found!  All we need to do is ACCEPT that finding, accept the one who calls after us through EVERY moment of EVERY DAY!  And our joy will be made complete in Him.

Joy is not happiness, I have found.  I don't know if we can be truly happy this side of heaven.  Truly Joyful.  Now THAT is attainable. To be joyful and content is not to be without worry.  Worry finds it's way in like a cockroach.  Like a snake looking for a warm place to hide.  The ONLY hope of escaping worry is turning to God.  I admit, I have not turned to Him like I should recently, and I see the fruit of that...  How revealing it is to take a step back and look at the fruit your souls bears...how good is it really?  Do you polish the outside to make it appear better than it is?  Do the branches of your souls need tending?  Do your roots need to be healed of the Sin Disease?

Take an inventory with God today.  Do you only allow the good to come in?  Or do you take the good with the bad?  Do we think we can give the good with the bad also?  With Christ comes good fruit and with good fruit comes Joy.