“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

                                 -John 15:11

In today’s world, many individuals seem only to care about making Christianity more “fun.” Whether it means compromising doctrines, or even straying from the very root of Christianity itself, nothing appears to be more valuable to them than a little enjoyment.  And while I am by no means trying to be a killjoy, we must remember that we have each been called to take up our cross and follow Christ (Luke 14:27). To put it simply, serving God won’t always be “fun.”

But on the other hand, there are those who make the Christian life about nothing more than rules and regulations. True, there are obvious dos and don’ts that Christians must abide by, but we must be careful we don’t become so consumed with going through the proper motions that we forget God does desire walking with Him to be a joyous experience.

It seems so easy to fall into spiritual ruts and make things like prayer and Bible study more of a chore than anything else. Sometimes I’ll catch myself just praying the words that I think I should say, or reading the Bible only because it’s the right thing to do. In those times I remind myself that these exercises are meant to be a time of fellowship between me and my heavenly Father, not just an empty motion.

Perhaps you’ve been feeling the same way. You are doing everything right on the outside: praying, reading the Scriptures, going to church…but the joy you had before has been lost along the way. If this is you, let’s stop now and pray the prayer of David together:

“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

                             -Psalm 51:12