Joy!

Joy is important to the Lord. There are numerous verses in His Word where the words joy or joyful appear. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. God wants us to feel joy.

So, when should we be joyful? When our lives are filled with blessings? Yes, we should be joyful in those times and it is easy to do so. But what about those times when things aren’t going so well? When life is crashing down on us or we are faced with difficult circumstances–should we be joyful then? The answer again is “yes.”

God’s Word tells us that we should be always be joyful (1 Thessalonians 5:16). It tells us that we should even consider it pure joy when faced with the trials of life (James 1:2-3). Now, I’m not saying that’s easy. It can be very difficult. So, how do we do it? By focusing on God and seeking His presence. When we connect with God and set our eyes on Him rather than our circumstances, we tap into the joy that comes from Him, the true joy that endures through all circumstances.

No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we need to be thankful. We need to remember that, no matter what we are going through, we are His and our true joy is found in Him. The things going on around us can’t stand against Him. That’s reason to be joyful!