Oiled by Joy

“Serve the Lord with gladness.”

Psalm 100:2

“Without oil the axle soon grows hot, and accidents occur. In the same way, if there is not a holy cheerfulness to oil our wheels, our spirits will slowly become clogged with weariness.” -Charles Spurgeon

As I reflect on that quote, it resonates with me. I need to improve at having fun and being joyful while working and serving the Lord. Too often, I take myself and life far too seriously. Because I am competitive by nature, I tend to only have fun when I am winning. But the truth is, winning is not the source of strength.

In fact, scripture reminds us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When joy is missing, even good work becomes heavy. When joy is present, it becomes fuel for the journey.

Prayer: Lord, help me not take life, work, and myself so seriously. I put extra pressure on myself to be perfect, and pressure that I do not need to carry because the joy of the Lord is my source of strength. Help me live with joy and excitement, knowing that in Jesus there is fullness of life. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.