Lasting joy is possible in every season when we follow God’s truths.
God calls us to follow Him and to trust in His wisdom (as we read in Proverbs 3:5-6) even if it isn’t easy or it doesn’t make sense.
But there’s one other blessing that we see when we read Bible verses about joy: God promises real joy (not just happiness) when we decide to listen to Him and live by biblical principles!
Consider these verses about joy in the Bible:
Psalm 1:1-3 promises that if we “delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night,” then we will be filled with joy and we will be prosperous because we will bear fruit in every life season.
I love how Psalm 19:8 reminds us that God’s good commandments (what I like to think of as His “boundaries” for my life) bring joy to a person’s heart because they give incredible wisdom.
Choosing joy during challenging life circumstances is never easy, especially when we are tempted to ignore God’s wisdom and to follow our own ways.
We may think that these solutions will make the pain stop and bring the joy and contentment we’re looking for. But Psalm 119:1-3 promises that “joyful are people of integrity who follow the instructions of the Lord.”
In fact, when we choose to allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our hearts, we see joy as one of fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22).
I’m so grateful that we can learn about real joy in the Bible, and that I don’t have to try to discover how to find joy on my own! How about you?!
by Pastor Barb Pruitt