Rejoice in the Lord always. I will repeat it: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
What do these passages teach us? What do they teach us about following Jesus?
Have you experienced joy in your relationship with God? Do you enjoy spending time with God? God desires us to enjoy being with Him. I remember the first time I studied James’s book, and He speaks about having joy in the midst of trials. I didn’t quite know what to think about this concept until I went through a really rough time. I choose to trust God and find joy with Him in the middle of the hurt. When we follow Jesus, our lives should be marked with joy because God is the greatest source of our joy.
While I was going through my very hurtful situation, it wasn’t happiness dependent on the circumstances but the joy I found in God when I met with Him. He showed me how to find joy in Him. It was in His presence that I found joy. This is why Paul and Silas could find joy in the jail cell and could sing about it. Their circumstances didn’t determine Their joy, but by their relationship, they had with God.
True joy is only found in our relationship with Jesus. In John 15:11, Jesus states, “ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” When we abide in Jesus, we will experience His great joy. Following Jesus is a pathway to having great joy.
Are you filled with Jesus’s joy? What does it communicate to the world about following Jesus if Christians weren’t joyful people? Have you experienced joy despite what you are going through in life?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your great joy! I pray that we will be filled with your joy no matter what we go through in life. I pray that we will spend time with you and not see it as a chore or a to-do list.
In Jesus Name
Amen
