#soap # Nehemiah 08 ## Title: The Joy of the Lord ## Scripture: (Nehemiah 8:10) He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (NET) ## Observation: Joy is powerful because joy is a mindset more than an emotion. A good definition of joy is the confident trust in God’s goodness. Happiness and joy are not the same things. Happiness is based on happenings. It ebbs and flows based on what’s going on around you. If it rains, we’re sad. If the sun is shining, we’re happy. Joy is deeper. It is a decision and a state of mind. Nehemiah is reminding the people that our trust in God’s goodness, our joy, is our strength. We have to be careful not to live by our emotions. They are a lot of fun, but they make terrible leaders. They are important and can be indicators of what is happening on the inside. However, we should always live by the consistent, confident hope in God’s faithfulness. ## Application: Trust in the Lord over your passing emotions. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for being greater than anything we face in this life.