Joy is central to the Christian experience. A close cousin to peace, joy is that sense of calm happiness that bears witness to the world of the wonders of faith in Christ. Regardless of the circumstances we face in life, we can still exude joy. Through pain, through sorrow, through hardship, through disappointment, through illness, through troubles of any and all kinds, we have hope in God – The One Who is sovereign over all.

Our joy is not rooted in our difficulties, but in God our Father Who leads us through life’s situations. In the LORD, we have hope over all circumstances. We have His wonderful promises to grasp onto tightly. 

God is sovereign over everything.  He is sovereign over our enemies. He is sovereign over our infirmities, He is sovereign over our families. He is sovereign over our work. He is sovereign our needs. He is the Only One we can trust entirely and completely in all things.

And God our Father loves us. He cares for us. He is with us through every storm. He never abandons us. He is always with us.

“The joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:20b, ESV).  Whatever’s going on, we can embrace God’s joy and find our strength in Him. When we’re filled with fear or grief or a troubled mind, we’re weakened by our troubles. When we choose to embrace God’s joy in faith, we are strengthened, finding our lives are actually filled with hope because of our Father’s love, grace, mercy, peace, strength, sovereignty, holiness, faithfulness, joy… 

Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We rejoice in the LORD Our Father. Nothing is beyond His ability. And, when others see us waiting patiently and joyfully on God, we are an effective witness for Jesus. When we choose joy over anxiety, our faith grows. And we are able to inspire and help others to find strength in God as well – finding joy for their lives and helping others do the same.

Rest in Jesus. Trust in God. Walk in His joy. You are loved far more than you can imagine!