JOY IN THE LORD

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.” (Philippians 3:1). Notice the apostle tells us to “rejoice in the Lord” because it is “safe” for us. Joy will guard your heart. It will build your faith. Faith should bring joy, and it will if we embrace it and live by it. God’s promises bring joy.

Paul repeats the command in chapter 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I say, Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). We can always rejoice if we rejoice “in the Lord.” Rejoicing in the things of this world will not bring constant joy, but rejoicing in Jesus will because He does not change (Hebrews 13:8). When we rest and settle in Him, our joy becomes full and constant.

“I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11). Notice that Jesus said “MY joy” will remain in you. The joy of the Lord is our strength. He is where we get it, and He is how we keep it—by abiding in Him.

If you stay focused on Jesus Christ, you will have joy. You won’t be happy all the time, and you will not like every circumstance of life, but you will have a deep, abiding joy that the world cannot take away. Joy is something that is with you no matter what is happening around you. While happiness is a feeling that depends on what happens, joy is a state of mind, based on faith in the living Christ.

Dewayne Dunaway