The Joy That Only God Can Give
How drawing closer to God taught me that true joy isn’t something we find, but something we receive from Him.
I always thought Joy was something to unlock; Something I had to get my hands on in some roundabout way. I always knew Joy was a gift of God and a fruit of the Spirit, but I couldn’t figure out how to cultivate it in my own life. I bought books on Joy; I bought sweatshirts with Joyous sayings and verses on them, like “choose Joy” and “rejoice in the Lord always,” but I still never experienced joy the way I do today.
So what changed?
My relationship with God did. God brought me closer to Himself and blessed me with the Gift of joy as a result. Because of this, I gained a deeper reliance on the lord and a stronger prayer life, with a natural desire to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 16-17) and to have a thankful heart. I also gained the ability to look at situations through the lens of Christ/scripture and keep my mind fixed on the things above (Colossians 3:2), as God strengthens me to.
It was and is all the work of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in my life that stemmed from a deeper relationship. (John 6:44)
Because I have this Joy, no matter what life throws at me, that Joy remains unwavering; my physical health may waver, but my Joy, the Joy of the Lord, remains unchanging. My mental health may waver, but my joy remains unchanging. Finances may waver, and life’s waves and winds may come crashing and blow, but the Joy of the Lord remains unchanging.
I believe that while we are given the gift of Joy, we can steward it well by choosing it continually. (Philippians 4:4) When a situation arises that may want to steal my joy, instead of bowing to the chaos of the situation, I take a step back for a moment and say, “No, this will not steal my joy.”
If you’re longing for the Joy of the Lord, I encourage you to ask God for it. God is a good father, and He loves to give good gifts to His children. You can invite Christ into spaces where Joy feels lacking by simply asking, “Jesus, would You show up in this place in my life today? Would You grace me with Your hope, Joy, and peace today?” You can repeat this prayer throughout your day as you read Scripture, complete daily tasks, or face challenges.
