“I Got My Joy Back”

Jimmy Butler was a member of the Miami Heat at the start of this current NBA season. Despite his success with the team, which included deep playoff runs, his relationship with the team had soured, and he was ready to be traded.

While still on the team in early January, he commented, "I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, and wherever that may be, we'll find out here pretty soon. But I want to get my joy back."

He was asked if he could get his joy back on the court in Miami, and his response was, "Probably not."

About a month later, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors, and since joining the team, they have won 27 out of the 36 games he's played in.

He has made a significant impact on the team, and on Monday night, while playing through a pelvic contusion, he scored 27 points, including 14 points in the fourth quarter.

He also secured the game-clinching rebound as the Warriors beat the Houston Rockets 109-106 to win Game 4 and take a 3-1 lead in the series.

After the game, TNT interviewed him, and he commented, "I got my joy back, as some would say."

He's fit in nicely with the team, he's got his joy back, and the Warriors look poised for a deep playoff run.

We know the difference that joy makes, and we can relate to Jimmy because there are times in our lives when we lose our joy and wonder if it will ever return.

As followers of Jesus, we know that true joy is found in Christ, and we experience it as we live in the power of the Holy Spirit and have vibrant fellowship with God.

There may be different reasons we lose our joy, and sometimes we seek joy in the wrong places, but usually, it means we are hanging onto unconfessed sin.

When we find ourselves in a season where we lack joy and want to regain it, we must come before the Lord with humility and a willingness to confess our sins and repent.

As we look to David's example in Psalm 32:1-5 (NLT), we see the blessing and joy found in confession and forgiveness: "Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.' And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone."

Today, let's be reminded of the joy available to us because of Christ and praise Him for His grace and forgiveness. Let's not live joyless lives by concealing our sins, but instead, turn to the Lord and confess and repent of them.

Then we'll be able to declare, as David did, "All my guilt is gone," and we can say even more confidently than Butler, "I got my joy back."

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy You allow me to experience because of Christ. Thank you for Your grace and forgiveness when I come to You with my confession of sin. Please help me not hold on to sin or conceal it, but turn to You instead. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.