We often struggle to find joy in our everyday lives. Is that how you feel? Maybe you’ve lost it and can’t seem to find it. It is God’s will for His children to live a life of rejoicing, but our duties – and ourselves – might get in the way. In the next five days, we’ll see what the Bible says about joy and how we can live it despite our circumstances.
Fronteira
Day 1
Scripture: Philippians 4:4
Has anyone seen my joy?
What would you say brings joy to your life? Some might say it’s family, money, food, or spending time outside. We all have something that brings a smile to our faces or that warm fuzzy feeling. As we get older, however, we tend to be less joyful. All the problems we face slowly take away the joy we once had. Have you ever felt this way? You looked at your life and thought, “How did I become this grumpy?” Or do you find yourself explaining to others that you were much more fun years ago? If that is the case, you have likely lost your joy.
How, then, do we make true the words of the apostle Paul telling us to rejoice? Perhaps that’s why he uses this word twice in such a short text: as Christians, we must remind ourselves of our joy in Christ. It won’t happen instantly and most definitely will not happen without intentional effort.
In this first step of our devotional, I’d like to bring up something that is essential to live out Paul’s instruction. Joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is a feeling when something happens to us: a gift, seeing someone you like, or hearing something funny. Happiness is associated with external things. Joy, on the other hand, does not depend on circumstances. That is why you’ll barely find the Bible commanding us to be happy – the fruit of the Spirit, after all, is joy, not happiness.
God has something much greater for you than simple earthly happiness.
What if I told you that this joy that Paul presents to us can be achieved? That there is a way to rejoice regardless of what’s happening around you?
In the coming days, we’ll go over what the Bible says about joy and how we can live it in its fullness.
Day 2
Scripture: Colossians 3:1-2
Joy and the world
Before going straight to where in the Bible we find the location of joy in this complicated map of our lives, we must be sure of where it is not: the world.
There are great things in the world around us: nature, culture, arts, and the people around us, just to mention a few. But none of these should be the source and focus of our joy. When Paul writes to the Colossians, he reminds them that as followers of Christ, they have a new compass for their hearts. Earthly things are not to take up space in our minds anymore; we must leave room for heaven.
Where have you been looking for your joy? Being a provider for your family, personal achievements, and talents? If that is the case, I have bad news for you: all these things will pass. One day, we have them; the next, they are gone. Heaven, on the other hand, is forever. So, where do you think it’s more likely to find a joy that is unshakable?
These earthly things bring us happiness, which has its merit but not joy. Looking for joy in the world around us will lead us to a never-ending cycle of discontentment. One moment, we feel happy, but as soon as the reason for that happiness vanishes, we are downcast again. Doesn’t it make life sound meaningless, chasing after small bits of happiness? That was never God’s intent for us.
I challenge you to look up. To look away from the distractions, away from the false promises of joy, and to look up. Set your mind on God and his kingdom because that is where true joy is found.
Day 3
Scriptures: Psalms 16:11, Psalms 19:8, 1 Chronicles 16:27, Psalms 89:15-16
Joy and the Lord
Maybe you were hoping that this devotional would give you a simple three-step process to achieve joy. Many have tried to do this throughout the centuries and have failed because there is only one place where joy can be found: God’s presence.
In Psalm 56, we find an interesting picture of mankind: an empty vessel being filled with joy by God. Just like a car, God knows we need fuel to keep running. Sometimes, we go through our days struggling to keep our heads up while God is inviting us to be filled by Him. Is your joy tank low? God can fill it up. He is the true source of joy that the world is after.
But don’t be mistaken; God’s joy has an address. As 1 Chronicles tells us, joy is in His dwelling place. First, that is the church, in the gathering of those who proclaim His name. He gave us the church for a reason, and rejoicing is one of them. Are you struggling to find joy? Lift up your hands, worship God, proclaim His name, and let Him fill you. Don’t expect to be filled with joy when you are not open to receiving it from God. As Psalm 89 declares, the ones who rejoice are the ones who learn to acclaim His name.
Second, we find joy in each other as temples of the Holy Spirit. One of the best testimonies we have of God’s joy is each other. Whatever church you might attend, I’d like you to think of some of the people you know. For sure, you can think of a joyful person who is always glad to receive others with an open smile and is ready to say something about God’s goodness. That is not the product of material blessings; it’s the joy of the Lord. We usually don’t know what happens in these people’s lives, but I can assure you they are not perfect.
Day 4
Scriptures: James 1:2-3, Habakkuk 3:17-18
Joy and suffering
Life is not perfect, and you have probably experienced that yourself. Health issues, unemployment, and family hardships are a reality even for Christians. What happens to joy in these moments? Where does joy go when suffering strikes?
In the New Testament, joy is often linked to suffering. James actually instructs his readers to see their trials as joy. In the context of this letter, these trials usually meant persecution and possible death. Can you imagine feeling joyful in this scenario?
The truth is that godly joy is most beautifully expressed when hardships come. Whenever health fails, finances shake, and happiness is gone, we truly see joy in action. Happiness is like a friend who likes to hang out when you have money or something to offer. When these things are gone, so is happiness. Joy, however, remains.
Joy will be there in the good times and the bad because it comes from the One who is there through the ugly and the beautiful. Whatever situations have been trying to steal your peace and joy will have the opposite effect. Trials will strengthen your faith, and problems will see you laughing as you look up to the heavens.
The prophet Habakkuk poses us a challenge in this matter. The lack of figs, grapes, olives, and sheep at that time meant chaos. No food, no money, no assurance. Yet, he learned to rejoice in God in such situations. Can we say the same? If not, would we like to?
Habakkuk teaches us that our joy comes from something much greater than grapes and sheep, money and status, friends, and success. He teaches us that even when life is uncertain, we can rejoice. The reason is very simple: our joy comes from our Savior.
Day 5
Scriptures: Psalms 51:12, Luke 10:20, Psalms 13:5-6
Joy and salvation
There is nowhere to run if we want to find joy. The bottom line is that joy is rooted in our salvation. When reading Luke 10:20, I can only imagine the excitement of the seventy-two Jesus sent out. They will perform miracles and cast out demons – the very same things they had seen Jesus do. All very noble and important things. Jesus, however, warns them that their joy should not be their achievements. Their names written in heaven were enough. Our names written in heaven should be enough as well.
We work, seek pleasure, set goals, and enjoy this life as we should. But all will pass. In the future, in eternity, these things will have no value. The great things we accomplish on this earthly life will remain here, but our future with God is everlasting – and so is our joy. Imagine all the politics, hardships, disasters, sorrows, and tears simply disappearing. That is what having our names written heaven means. A future of everlasting joy that is achieved through salvation in Jesus Christ only.
Many times, we set joy as the end wagon of our lives. We say to ourselves, “When I achieve this, I will have joy,” or we think, “ If I can have this one more thing, I’ll finally be able to rejoice.” However, joy is the engine car of our lives. We push through our days joyfully knowing we have a God who cares for us despite the situation we may be. When things go according to our plan, we rejoice. When everything seems to be crumbling down, we rejoice just the same because salvation is enough for us.
Are you tired of seeking joy in your life? Chasing after things and people expecting them to fulfill you? Is your joy tank low? I want to invite you to pray just as the psalmist does in Psalm 51: Lord, restore in me the joy of your salvation!