Find Joy In Today

 – By Lori Benka

When was the last time you experienced joy and had a good belly laugh? The kind of laugh that leaves you doubled over, clutching your sides, tears streaming down your face, and legs crossed praying you don’t have a mishap.

I remember a time when my youngest brother started laughing during a youth service at church. It was my now husbands first time visiting our church and we were sitting next to each other. As prayer started going up, my brother begins to laugh uncontrollably. Now, this wasn’t just a giggle. It was a full blown, deep rooted belly laugh. I would give him the elbow nudge but he just wouldn’t stop laughing. The joy was so contagious that others began to laugh along with him.

As this went on for hours, I was beginning to wonder what my pre-husband was thinking about my family. After all, what a first impression. I wouldn’t have blamed him for hightailing it out of there and never giving me a second thought. But, he was keenly aware of the Spirit’s moving and knew my brother was experiencing joyful laughter. As Psalm 126:2 says: “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.”

What is Joy?

The Oxford Language dictionary defines joy as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” True joy knows no bounds and it is not based on life’s circumstances. Its transformative potential awaits our decision to embrace it. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that originates from God. There is no alternative path to accessing joy except through the presence of God.

We need joy to deal with stresses, anxieties, and fears in life. Pastor John K. Jenkins says, “Only this supernatural joy can give us a calm delight in the midst of hell and a cheerfulness even when life isn’t cheerful.”

One thing we need to remember is this: Joy is a choice. When we focus on our problems, we lose our joy. We become stressed out, fearful, and worried. I have been waking up very anxious the last couple of days and I asked God why this is happening. What is going on? He told me that I am waking up anticipating something bad to happen instead of anticipating something good to happen. Some may call this evil forebodings. I am believing the lies of satan over the Word of the Lord. As soon as I step out of bed, my mind is already focused on the negative circumstances going on around me.

Bill Johnson teaches on the importance of living a joyful life and how joy positions us for the breakthroughs we are praying for. We must have joyful anticipation before everything inside us is fixed. Joyful anticipation allows us to create an atmosphere in which God can move. Shout for joy before your answer is manifested. Sing and dance victoriously before your battle is won. Psalm 71:23 says “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to Thee, and my soul which Thou hast redeemed.” 

No matter what you are facing, God commands us to always be joyful. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16 to 18 says, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

When Life Is Hard

There are many times when life doesn’t seem fair. Maybe that downsize at work included you and now you are wondering how you are going to pay your bills. Your marriage may be failing and nothing you do seems to be working. You may be going through a health trial and worry and fear are cutting you to the core. Some of you may be worrying about your children.

Whatever you are going through, God is going to see see you through. It may feel like you are in the darkest season of your life. Your prayers may be bouncing off of the walls. But in the midst of your trials, make the choice to choose joy. Joy will give birth to hope, which will build an atmosphere where faith can grow. Expect God to work a miracle in your situation.

How Do I Choose Joy

There are many things you can do to help you choose joy. A few may be:

Spend time with God. Get into your Bible and learn what He has to say about your situation. Begin to ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to the Bible verses that pertain to what you are going through.

Practice Thankfulness. Remember to thank God for everything He has done for you. Bring to remembrance the trials He has brought you through and rejoice that He will see you through every obstacle you may face. Romans 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Pray. Bring all of your worries to God. He doesn’t want you to go through life unhappy carrying the weight of the world. Philippians 4:6-7 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Focus On Godly Things. Focus on things that are true. Philippians 4:8 AMP says “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s Word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart.]

Trust in God. Trust that God is going to see you through. He hears your cries and He desires to answer you. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Recognize God’s Hand in Your Circumstances. God is at work even when He seems silent. When you feel like you are at the end of your rope, remember, He has you in the palm of His hand and He will never let you go. It is often in the silence when you can learn about the condition of our own hearts. Begin to believe Romans 8:28 that He is working out everything for your good.

7 Bible Verses About Joy

Nehemiah 8:10 “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 100:1-2 “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!  Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing.”

Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.

Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

1 Peter 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,  obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Conclusion

It’s not always easy to choose joy when life is difficult. Finances, relationships, jobs, our calendars or our health may steal our joy leaving us feeling hopeless and defeated. If we focus on our circumstances, we will never experience true, deep-rooted joy.

God wants us experience joy in every area of our lives. He wants to consume our thought life, our daily life, and our families. As we look to Him and live in joyful anticipation, the fire of God will destroy our negative thinking and realign our minds to His thoughts and His ways. As we allow ourselves to surrender everything over to Him, He will give us the peace and joy our hearts so desire.

Begin today to live in joyful anticipation. You will then gain strength as you put our hope in God and wait for Him to answer your prayers. Choose to live above your circumstances. Choose to think about what God says about your situation. Let go of the worry, fear, doubt, bitterness and anger.

1 Corinthians 4:17 says “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

I pray that you will be able to Find Joy in Today.

• Print