I often think I will be happy if I can just get others to love me. I think that receiving love is what really brings joy to my life. But the way of Jesus is to see that true happiness and joy in him comes from me loving others in the same way he loves me. His love is a selfless, sacrificial love. One of the greatest ways I can show love to another is to be fully present with that person. It requires intentionality and sacrifice to really be with another. My natural disposition is for my soul to drift off into other places. When I do this I am putting my desire for these other places over the person I am with.
Jesus told his disciples, “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11)
What does this fullness of joy look like? Have I ever really experienced it?
“Fullness of joy” is bigger than some momentary feeling. It comes from continually abiding in Christ and allowing his Spirit to abide in me. This place of abiding is about presence; my being present to him and being aware of his presence in me. When I leave this place of abiding, by allowing my soul to drift off into other places of desire, I lose his fullness of joy.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
To keep his commandment to love is to remain in his love. This will bring fullness of joy. As an artist, I must create my works of art fully aware of the presence of Christ and of those who will be viewing my work. I have an opportunity to be truly present to those I do not even know by creating my art in full awareness of the love of Christ. May those who stand before my works sense this presence of the Spirit of Christ through the love with which I created the work.
GarThoma 