The other day, a friend of mine brought me balloons for winning an award to celebrate and congratulate me. Now, she had no clue that I had been having quite the rough week and was just feeling pretty discouraged. It seems nothing was right and I was just deflated. I spent most of the afternoon before crying and feeling sorry for myself. Now, I know there are people with bigger problems than mine, but to me they felt insurmountable…as if I was taking 1 step forward and 100 steps back, but when she stopped by unexpectedly with a smile on her face and balloons in her hand and threw confetti all in my face (seriously, all in my face 😂) it completely shifted my perspective on things around me but for a moment.
I spent most of this morning in John 15 reading the whole Chapter, but ended up at this verse because I was scrolling the internet and a picture of balloons caught my eye with this verse:
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24
Hmmm…maybe I was down and out on myself last week because I hadn’t asked God to help me. I was relying on self…and of course I failed. I wasn’t in The Word as much last week as I usually am. I blamed it on busyness and a mile long to-do list. Maybe that’s why I felt deflated and lacking purpose?!?! I already knew that, but sometimes we need a kick in the hiney from the Holy Spirit as a reminder.
As I mediated on these words this morning and sketched my own little balloons labeling them in my mind with blessings from God I don’t deserve, The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. You see, I’ve never seen a balloon bring any joy without it being filled with air. They just lay there. Lifeless and with no purpose. But when they are filled, they bring joy. Aren’t balloons just happy? They make me smile everytime I see some, because I know someone is celebrating something!
Those balloons are me and you. The Word of God is the air that fills our very breath of life. It gives us purpose, meaning and a charge to be the joy of Jesus to others. Without Jesus, we are lifeless, friend. Without His Word filling us EVERY day, we will slowly lose air and find ourselves empty. Our joy will be FULL when we look to Jesus daily and ask of Him in complete faith through trust in His Word!
I’m celebrating today…not anything I have done, but what Jesus has done for me! You should, too!
His Word is full of joy and He is ready to lift you above your circumstances if you will let Him!
