Morris writes, “It is no cheerless, barren existence that Jesus plans for his people. But the joy of which he speaks comes only as they are wholehearted in their obedience to his commands. To be half hearted is to get the worst of both worlds.”[3] I deeply believe this to be true. We resist offering ourselves wholly to anyone or anything that has the potential to encroach on our personal desires, and Jesus made clear from the start that God’s will and ours would be in conflict at times. Yet our surrender to Jesus is also ultimately our surrender to joy.
