Our hearts long for joy, and happiness is a goal most of us pursue. We are happy when things go our way, when our circumstances are comfortable, when we feel good, when we achieve our goals, and when we are successful. Happiness is temporary and lasts until something goes wrong, you fail, or you get sick. Sometimes things are confusing for reasons we don’t understand.
Joy is a gift that God gives to our hearts and circumstances cannot steal it from us. It flows from within, not from what happens. For believers in Jesus Christ, joy comes from what Jesus has already done and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Here are seven joys we find in the Lord.
1. The joy of salvation: being saved from sin and death
Any honest person will admit that there is something wrong with this world and with us. Pain, grief, and death affect us all. Life is fleeting. We try valiantly to stop disease, pain, aging, and death, but we are powerless. We want to be good, but instead we carry the burden of sin.
Jesus Christ came to earth to save us from sin and death. The Bible tells us, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the life-giving Spirit has set you free from the law of sin and death through Christ Jesus. What the law was powerless because it was weakened by the flesh, God accomplished by sending his Son to be a sin offering in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:1-3 NIV).
Jesus lived the perfect life required by the law and then chose to die in our place as the payment for our sins. His perfect sacrifice satisfied the demands of the law. The mighty power of God raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand of God in heaven. (Ephesians 1:19-21)
He now offers this salvation as a gift to those who believe in Him. What could bring more joy? Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, wrote, “Though you have not seen him, and now you do not see him, you have believed in him and are filled with indescribable and glorious joy, because you have received the final result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV).
Knowing that we have eternal salvation brings us eternal joy.
2. The joy of forgiveness: our sins are washed away
Do you remember a time when your conscience was weighed down by a wrong choice? You kept it a secret in your heart and felt the burden of guilt? Perhaps you were afraid of being discovered.
Carrying guilt is a huge burden. Some people try to silence their guilt with alcohol, drugs, busyness, or other escapes. It is also possible to harden your mind so that you no longer feel pain. What a relief and joy you will feel when you instead choose to confess your sins to Jesus and know His forgiveness. Confession is really good for the soul.
John, Christ’s beloved follower, wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV). When we agree with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ that we have done wrong and believe that He died and rose again for us, we realize that He has forgiven us and cleansed us. What a joy!
3. The joy of unconditional love: being fully known and fully loved.
Everyone wants to be loved unconditionally. We want to remain well known and loved. Sometimes I think, “If they knew the real me, they wouldn’t like me.”
Our Creator, Almighty God, knows us better than we know ourselves. We easily fool ourselves and make excuses. But we stand transparently before God. God knew from the time we were in our mother’s womb that we would choose to do wrong. Yet, He loved us anyway.
The Bible says, “But in this God reveals his love for us: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now that we are justified by his blood, how much more will we be saved from the wrath of God through him!” (Romans 5:8-9 NIV).
Paul, an early follower of Christ, also taught: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor devils, neither now nor hereafter, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV).
He reveals that God “elected us in Himself before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight, predestining us to be adopted children through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5a NIV). wonderful! Before we were born, God decided to love us by sending Christ as a sacrifice for our sins.
We can say this to Moses, the Old Testament prophet and leader. “Fill us in the morning with your unfailing love, so that we may sing songs of joy and rejoice all day long” (Psalm 90:14 NIV). Knowing that we are loved unconditionally fills us with joy.
4. The Joy of Surrender: Finding Freedom by Letting Go
The root of sin is pride and the rebellious desire to decide one’s own life. We want to be our own gods. All the while, we had a wonderful and perfect Creator who gave us all that we have. Every breath we take and every beat of our heart is due to the grace of God.
Pride leads us astray. We cling tightly to our will, believing the lie that we know better than God what is good for us. The Bible teaches us to come humbly to God and surrender our will to Him, but we stubbornly resist.
Peter warned us to cultivate humility because “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5b NIV). When we claim that we are responsible for our lives, we are resisting God and are unable to find joy.
It takes faith to surrender. The author of Hebrews says that those who come to God in faith “must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6b NIV). When we believe that God is good and that He rewards those who have faith, we can let go, knowing that He will give us the best.
5. The Joy of the Lord’s Presence: Intimacy with God
King David of the Old Testament declared to his heavenly Father, “In your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand are joy forever” (Psalm 16:11b ESV). David knew from experience the joy of intimacy with the Lord God.
Joy beyond this world arises when we worship Almighty God and commune with Him in spirit. We can choose to praise and worship our Father despite our circumstances, suffering, pain, and sorrow, and we can know joy and peace that pass all comprehension.
Loving God in the middle of an ordinary day turns that moment into joy. Joy in the Lord’s presence is always a choice.
Jesus taught that when we follow Him, we remain in God’s love. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. For I have said this to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:10-11 NIV).
God wants to share His joy with us.
6. The Joy of Service: Use Your God-Given Talents
Paul taught this truth. “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). God has already equipped us to serve Him and bring glory to Him.
Knowing that God has endowed each believer with gifts, Paul instructs, “Each of you, as a faithful steward of the various forms of God’s grace, should use every gift he has received to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).
Use your strengths to serve others. Lead a Bible study, serve in a daycare, deliver meals to hurting families, volunteer at your local pantry, go on a mission trip, give generously to those in need, join a prayer team, share your testimony – find the space that works for you.
Joy comes when we accomplish our God-given purposes and utilize our God-given gifts.
7. Community Joy: Share the Joy
Paul often expressed the joy that others brought him, as when he wrote to the church at Philippi: “Every time I remember you, I thank my God; in my prayers for you I always pray with joy” (Philippians 1:3-4 NIV). “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will be glorified in the presence of the Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not You? Truly You are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 NIV).
All believers in Jesus Christ have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). When we surrender to God, we find joy abounding as we unite with other Christians.
What a wonderful gift is given to us when we trust in the salvation of Jesus Christ. We can find joy in any situation. Until Jesus returns, this life will include pain, sorrow, and death. Difficulties pursue us. Jesus promised that the world would hate us because of Him. Choosing to follow Christ means going against the grain and fighting selfish desires. When we pursue God and abide in Him, we receive joy beyond what the world and the flesh can provide.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).
Photo credit: ©Unsplash/Ian Stauffer
Susan Aiken is a writer, wife, mother, and follower of Jesus. She is originally from Oklahoma but has lived in Nebraska for many years. In addition to writing, she has a passion for special needs and prayer ministry. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and photographing nature. She loves learning and teaching Bible truth. She believes that life is a journey and we are all in different places. To her, Jesus is everything and everything is grace. Visit her at susanaken53.wordpress.com or on Facebook.
