February 12: Guarding your Joy
Guarding your Joy Dr. Terry-Ann Robinson Key Text: 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 Close your eyes for a moment and think about a joyful experience. Did your face automatically soften into a smile? What was it that stirred that feeling deep inside you? Joy has a way of lighting up the heart, yet it often feels fragile. We want to hold onto it, but life is full of “joy stealers.” They show up subtly in comparison, the pressure of social media, negative conversations, pessimistic voices, or even our own harsh inner critic. Without realizing it, we can surrender our joy piece by piece. But Scripture tells us something powerful: joy is not just an emotion—it’s a source of strength. It comes from the Lord, not our circumstances. In Nehemiah’s time,...