“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9.
Is the joy of the Lord your strength? I don’t know about you, but when I interact with a truly joyful person, my spirits are instantly lifted, and I am in a better mood. Throughout life, these people go through hardships, but their joy is maintained. How is that possible? It is possible because of Jesus Christ!
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Psalm 28:7
The Lord is our source of strength ultimately because human joy lasts only for a time, but what comes from the Lord is eternal, and this includes joy.
Joy is often confused with happiness, but I have a secret for you…they are very different! The Bible never promises happiness to the believer. While happiness is temporary and is based upon a current state or situation, joy is from the Lord and you can still experience joy during trials, suffering, and testing. It even says in James 1:2 to “consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.” In the end, joy is permanent, but happiness is fleeting. And choosing joy as an option can happen even when happiness is not present.
True joy can only be attained as part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 promises that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness” and many others. We are promised joy if we accept the Holy Spirit into our hearts! But we do have to make this choice; joy doesn’t simply come to us. Over the years, I have made a prayerful choice to accept this joy and let it flood into my heart and soul. I have been blessed by it personally and there is nothing better than blessing those around me with it.
It is absolutely incredible that what the Lord offers us can overflow from our words to positively affect others and even lead them to Him. Experiencing this joy and sharing it with others is what life is all about, mamas!
But life is relentless, isn’t it? The Bible says in Psalms 30:5 that “sorrow may come in the night,” but also promises that “joy comes in the morning.” And who brings light to the morning? God! And as surely as the sun rises, God will come and bring joy and peace. We are called to rely on Him for joy, and not on anyone or anything else for joy. God is the only perfect and ultimate source of unlimited and unspeakable joy.
Choosing to live out the joy that is available to us is a daily choice. It is easy to forget and become consumed with the stress and anxiety of life. Fight against this, my friends! Jesus yearns for us to experience life in the fullness of joy. Seek Him daily and pray to Him in adoration, thanking Him for His precious gifts to us.
Love, Rachel Jones & The Help Club Team
I love coffee, cooking, and anything British.I have one wonderful husband and four crazy and joyful children - three big girls and one little boy.I am originally from the desert in Arizona and now I live in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.
I homeschool our children and struggle every day.Being part of Help Club for Moms has been a blessing in my life and I truly couldn’t mother without this incredible community behind me.
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