Podcast listeners, Zach Howell writes and asks this, Pastor John, is it okay to come

to the Lord with a heart that is weary, beaten down, broken down, and joyless?

Will He take you in without joy?

Here's what Jesus says, all that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes

to me, I will never cast out, or in another place, come to me, all who labor and are

heavy laden.

I think that's exactly the situation that Zach is describing and I will give you rest

or again, whoever comes to me shall not hunger.

Jesus is honored when we come to Him for help and in Zach's case, the help He needs is

help to have joy again, help not to be weary and broken down and without joy.

Our joy, this is crucial.

Our joy does not happen away from Jesus so that it can function as a ticket to Jesus.

See, the question is kind of posed like, if I don't have it, can I go get it?

Our joy happens with Jesus.

The reason any of us comes to Jesus is because He is the joy we seek.

We don't get it somewhere else and then come and say, I've got it, Jesus, can I come now?

No, we come to get it because He is it.

So the Psalmist prays like this, restore to me the joy of your salvation, uphold me with

a willing spirit.

He's coming to God, saying clearly, I've lost my joy and I know you're the only true

source of it.

So I'm coming to you, please restore it as I come.

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