God’s Will
If you’ve ever asked yourself what exactly God’s will for you is, the simple answer is found no farther than 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Be joyful, pray continuously, give thanks in all circumstances. For this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ. Notice joy is a part of God’s will for us. In every situation, he wants us to choose the positive mindset and find joy in Him, and we do that through prayer and counting our blessings more than our burdens. Romans 12:12 says it this way Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Circumstances don’t dictate our joy as Christians. He does.
The Source
Our source of joy is none other than Jesus Christ himself, who is joy. Luke 2:10 tells us But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you news of great joy that will be for all people.” From the time he was born, Jesus was joy and the source of it. Acts 2:28 says You have made known to me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence. The presence of God and his plan for our lives can bring us greater joy than we can even imagine when we draw near to him and know him. That joy is our power and strength in a very broken world (Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord is our strength). It is also distinguishing factor between us and those who need Jesus. Seeing that joy can open a door for them to ask, “Why are you always so positive?” That’s when you tell them about your ultimate source of joy, we source that never runs out. That is why it’s so important to maintain our joy by drawing near to God, even on our roughest days.
Even When It’s Hard
Remember, God has done amazing things in your life, no matter how many bad things seem to be happening (Psalm 126:3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy). Even our saddest, most difficult seasons can be blessings from God, as James 1:2-3 says Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. We need those times of trouble to grow our roots deeper in Jesus and draw closer to the eternal source of joy. Our joy cannot be taken by this world because our joy comes from the One who is always faithful and always able and the One who’s will for each and every one of us is to have joy.
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