God gave me some examples of how to find joy.
Finding joy isn’t always easy because we go through some tough trials in life. loss, illness, injury, construction, depression and other mental struggles. Along with that, some are struggling with finances, homeschooling, and rough work situations.
I found out at work on Thursday that a student’s last day would be Friday, and on Friday that a friend and coworker would no longer be working there.
Do you realize there’s always something attempting to steal our joy?
So how do we establish a joyful heart? Where do we find joy?
The Bible gives a few examples with verses that mention “rejoice,” “joy,” “merry,” and “delight.”
Salvation
But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. ~ Psalm 13:5
Salvation should bring joy. Accepting the cleansing of the Holy Spirit through Jesus’s death on the cross means that we can have a home in Heaven.
Salvation means we don’t have to fear death. It means God sees Christ when he looks at us, and not the sinful failures we used to be. Our past is gone, and our future is hopeful.
God looks at us with love and acceptance despite our mistakes because we are His and He is working in our lives. The Holy Spirit changes us to be more like Christ.
Salvation is a reason to rejoice.
New Day
This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. ~Psalm 119:24
Every day is a new day and every day is a gift from the Lord. We receive multiple blessings just in the gift of a new day.
Loss of the past
When a new day dawns, we say goodbye to the day before. We get to start over. We can forget the past and move on. We have a new opportunity to make better choices.
Learning
A new day means a new chance to learn. New opportunities and new experiences bring new learning. Learning yields growth.
Life
If you wake up to a new day, it’s another day to be alive. Another day of life means any number of chances to see God work in your life or in the lives of others. Life is precious because it’s a gift from God.
Every new day is a new chance for new gifts from God.
Trials
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ~James 1:2
God tells us to find joy in the trials. This command is difficult to comprehend. When everything is falling down around us, how do we find joy?
Mary J. Blige put it well when she said:
You can’t get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and thank God for the strength to get through it.
Yes, we’re going to have pain, and we can’t always change it or fix it. We’re likely going to have opposition if we’re followers of Christ. But we can find ways to be joyful.
A positive attitude
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. ~Proverbs 17:22
A broken spirit causes more pain and heartache. When you have a bad attitude, it affects the people around you and brings them down.
When you have a positive attitude, it’s like medicine. It makes you and others feel better. A positive attitude shows the hope you have. It reminds people that this trial is something that will not last.
Thankfulness
Ms. Blige notes that you can be thankful for the trial itself and for the strength to get through it.
How can we be thankful for a trial? It’s all about perspective. Although trials are difficult, God uses them in our lives to help us learn and grow. Going through the process of dealing with a tough situation leads to growth. We can use our growth and learning to help and teach others when the trial is over.
In addition to what we learn through a trial, we can be thankful for God’s blessings during the trial. One of those blessings is His strength. He isn’t going to let us go through a trial alone. He is with us, giving strength and comfort. He carries us and strengthens us as we walk through the tough times. We can be thankful for that.
Time
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. ~ Psalm 30:5
No matter what we are going through, it’s not going to last. After a certain amount of time, the trial will end. And after sorrow comes joy.
It’s a joy to come out on the other side of the trial, after the Lord has shown us his mercy and grace. We learn and grow, and find joy.
The tough part is getting through the trial, but the end result of the trial will be something to rejoice in.
God’s Word and His Spirit
Salvation, a new day, and trials are reasons to be joyful, but it’s still difficult to have a continual joyful heart without God’s Word and His Spirit. In other words, a joyful heart comes directly from the Lord. He is the ultimate source of our joy.
Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. ~ Psalm 119:111
God’s testimonies, another term for His Word, are our heritage. His Word is our wisdom and our truth. It teaches us. It shows us God. It builds our faith. It gives hope, and hope brings joy.
We have everything we need from the Lord, and He has our best interests at heart.
Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalm 37:4
When we seek the Lord and His will for us, He gives us the desires of our heart. Our heart’s desire might end up looking different than we thought, but in the end our desires will align with His because we are His and have given ourselves to Him.
Recently I felt God impressing on me the importance of developing and keeping relationships with people, such as friends and family. In order to do that I needed time. I have a very busy schedule, but I felt led by the Lord to set this goal anyways.
After I established my relationship goal, I had a sudden change at my part time job and I was no longer able to work on Mondays and Fridays. Now I have two more nights free to meet with people. Add to that two snow days, which I also prayed for and God used to allow me to minister to someone.
God will grant you the desires of your heart.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Are you saved? If you are, do you rejoice in your salvation? Think of what you are saved from!
Is every day a new day? The answer is yes. We lose the past, learn new things, and can be glad for another day of life.
Are you facing a difficult trial? There’s joy even in the struggle. You can face it with a positive attitude, find reasons to be thankful, and remember that it will not last.
Are you looking for the Lord to fulfill your joy?
Through the Lord’s Word and His Spirit you can find a joyful heart.
Challenge
I try to be upbeat. I read this book which tells you to write down everything that you’re grateful for each day. Now I’m constantly noticing all the little things that make me joyful. ~Naomie Harris
Read One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.
Write down things you are thankful for, especially in the midst of your struggle. There’s always something to bring you down, but there are always several things to bring joy.
Send me a message telling me some things you are thankful for!
Support
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