As the excitement builds up. . .

Last week, I was at what's called Life Group, which is a "small group" from the church I'm currently attending (while staying in Alabama for the fall). Anyway, we were discussing the sermon from Sunday, like usual, and one of the guys made an interesting point in regards to how people think about something exciting. Joy, actually.
He started on the memory for him when the movie, Inception, came out about a year and half ago or so. He told us how when that movie came out, he thought it was incredible. So incredible that he wanted everyone to know, and asked anyone he talked with for weeks to come, if they had seen it. He shared how when he would find someone who loved it as much as he did, then his excitement for the movie grew that much more. He went on to explain how we all do that in one way or another. If one person likes a certain episode of a TV show, and then they start talking with someone else who found that episode as great, too, then they both share their amazement or excitement, or whatever it may be, and it grows together to become even bigger. Same with cooking, a sale, scripture, book, song, ect. Do you see where I'm going with this? (Or do you even get what I'm trying to explain?? lol)

Joy is something that grows with more joy. It's like putting 1 + 1 = 2. Joy + Joy = MORE JOY. (Omg I'm doing this in math terms?!? I hate math...) ANYWAY! Back to what I was saying.. If we are truly excited about something, we like to share that with someone else we know will find it exciting as well, because we know that feeling we get when the excitement builds up and gets bigger than just your own. The guy at study last week brought his whole explanation down to this: what if the "movie" (the thing we are most excited about) is Jesus? And I thought about how not only is that a good point and good thing to think about, but also you can break it down in more ways. Like yes, if I am excited about Christ, and what He's done in my life, or a friend's life, or in my church, community, or on a mission trip, then I should share that joy with others. But also, say I'm hurting; I'm frustrated with whatever details in life, maybe if I share that with my peers, the people I trust, my family in Christ, then the strength of God builds up even more. No it's not excitement or joy, but I'm talking about the building up aspect of the whole. Encouragement builds up; Strength, power of Christ, His love. It's why we have brothers and sisters in Christ, to be there for each other to lean on. Like last week, I was looking around the room at the 10 or so people there, and I was thinking 'I bet it's a whole lot harder for Satan to get in here and try to mess with so and so's mind, or so and so's heart, or so in so's strength. Because when the body of Christ comes together, it's a strong place to be!'

Just some thoughts. . . :)