In the middle of this week-long series on renewal,

today we're going to make room for God to renew our joy.

Joy is something I so often struggle to walk in,

as I allow the cares and burdens of life to weigh me down.

But every morning is a new opportunity to come before our Father, give our cares over to him, and choose again the path of joy.

May God guide us today into a meaningful renewal of joy as we set our

eyes and hearts on Him. Welcome to the First 15 podcast. Our scripture for today comes from Psalm 51 verse 12.

Scripture says,

Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

When I think of the word joy, I often picture the unadulterated smile of a child's face.

Children have this ability to have joy simply because they found the delight of their parents.

The joy of a child is unlike anything most of us experience as we grow up.

For most of us, true joy has been crowded out by the pressures and cares of responsibility.

Joy becomes contingent upon the circumstances of our lives.

Most of us feel the pressure of finances,

work, relationships, and even serving God consistently

to the point that joy is a pursuit we've almost given up on.

But God has a message and a plan for you for a renewal of consistent and unshakable joy.

Let's open our hearts and minds to dive into everything God has in store for us as we spend time encountering his desire to bring us joy.

Our joy is not to be of this world, but of God.

Psalm 1611 says,

...