"Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our LORD.  Do not grieve, for the 'JOY' of the LORD is your strength."  Nehemiah 8:10

Today, being Monday, the first busy day of your week, we pray that you get your 'JOY' ON and praise the LORD with us, the whole week long!

The people had just gone through a time of rededication to the LORD and the honoring of HIS Word throughout their Nation and in their personal lives.  They had all repented of their sins before the LORD and now it was no longer a time of grieving, but rejoicing, and experiencing GOD'S 'JOY!

It is obvious from Nehemiah's words that some people were walking around grieving for their sins even though they had truly repented, they were not forgiving themselves.  Have you ever known such a time where after you had admitted your sins before the LORD, and received the forgiveness of your sins, you had great difficulty forgiving yourself?  This inability to forgive yourself can drive you into grief, making you feel rejection and rob you of the 'JOY' of the LORD.

While you pray every day to forgive those who sin against you, be sure to remember to forgive yourself when you have sinned and confessed your sins to your FATHER.  Sounds too basic, right?  A large number of Believers live in self-condemnation because of past failures, living in personal guilt and shame!  Jesus died to take away your sins, cleanse you from your guilt, and fill your hearts with HIS 'JOY'.

It may be beneficial to pray like this everyday:  FATHER, today I forgive those who sin against me, and I right now choose to forgive myself for my sins against YOU and others as well.  I also choose to live in YOUR 'JOY' in obedience and gratitude for all YOU have done for me.  Today and everyday, live your life in the 'JOY' of the LORD!