An All The Time Joy

Focus Scriptures: Nehemiah 8:10, Hebrews 12:2, Psalm 16:11, 

It’s crazy how much joy is tied into in our everyday lives. How it affects our language and thought patterns. How it affects the way we make decisions and treat others. When we operate from a place of true joy we see things from a pure and clear lens. We have an anchor that keeps us steady when everything else is in chaos. True joy of the Lord is our strength, and it isn’t based on our circumstances because none of who He is based on them either. 

I’ve always heard that there’s happiness and then there’s joy. Happiness is temporary and dependent upon the circumstances going on in one’s life. Joy, the kind that comes from God, lasts eternally and is built internally. In all honesty, it makes absolutely no sense lol When we’re going through hard times our natural emotional response is to go from being happy to sad. And it makes human sense. Getting let go from a job or losing a loved one causes happiness to leave our lives in that moment. Understandably so. But when you have that deep, eternal joy you’re able to still be thankful in every season. It gives you the strength to say, “God, You’re still so good.” 

I have no doubt that the reason joy is mentioned so much in God’s word is because He knows that without it we’re more prone to giving up. We’ll grow blind to hope and will refuse to believe that there is reward for all of our current sufferings. After all, it was the joy set before Jesus that He endured the cross. It was the reward that He would receive for His suffering. The Lord wants to fill us with that indescribable, unspeakable, uncontainable joy that carries us in every season. There is a lasting joy set before us and His name is Jesus. 

As always,

Be pretty. Be you. 

You are joyously loved.