Joy! What Comes to Mind?
When you hear the word “joy,” what examples come to mind that truly capture its meaning?
For me, it might be a nice bowl of handmade pasta or sharing ice cream with the kids on a hot summer's day. (I am a foodie!) Perhaps it's the warm embrace of a loved one, cuddling a newborn (isn't that the best!), celebrating a successful business deal, or experiencing the holiday of a lifetime.
Human joy and happiness are multifaceted emotions that release hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins. These feelings cause us to experience pleasure, view life through a positive lens, and live in the confident expectation that comes from the joy of the Lord. Joy and happiness are gifts from the Lord! After all, Proverbs 17:22 tells us that “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Natural joy is incredibly important to our happiness and wellness, but is there a greater dimension of joy? Yes, there is!
The Joy of the Lord: A Deeper Dimension
The Joy of the Lord is less about our feelings—though they are powerful and important—and more about cultivating a way of being that draws from a deep well of divine strength, peace, and hope that sustains us through every season of life. This joy becomes not just something we feel occasionally, but something we live from—a foundation that shapes how we approach each day, each relationship, and each challenge.
Unlike the fleeting pleasure of our favourite meal or the temporary high of a successful achievement, the Joy of the Lord offers something more enduring. It's a joy that can coexist with sorrow, remain steady through uncertainty, and provide strength when our natural emotions falter.
What Does It Mean to Live with Divine Joy?
To live with the joy of the Lord is simply choosing to make God the foundation of our hearts and lives. Hebrews 6:17-19 encourages us in this very fact:
“God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary.”
Jesus is my anchor in life! I choose therefore to anchor my identity, security, and hope in His unchanging character rather than in the shifting sands of circumstances. This does not mean that I am detached from reality. Instead, like Job and like David in the Psalms, I learn (and am still learning) to process life through the lens of God's goodness, sovereignty, and eternal purposes.
The Daily Rhythms of Joyful Living
Understanding this, how then do I practically live in the Joy of the Lord? Let me share some ideas!
Every Day Is a New Day
His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). Starting each day by intentionally stepping into the joy of the Lord reshapes how we see everything – from chores to challenges. It is not just religious routine but rather a foundational principle of setting the emotional and spiritual tone for the day. When we acknowledge His mercies, we are (on a deeper level) acknowledging His rulership over our lives.
When we begin by acknowledging God's faithfulness and reminding ourselves of His promises, we're training our hearts to 'flip the switch' from the default mode of worry and survival to hope instead of hopelessness.
Responding to Challenges with Joy
Now, let's be honest—living with the joy of the Lord does not mean that we will not have 'valley' situations. We all face challenges like the next person. However, living with the joy of the Lord means that we can overcome them with joy and trust in the Lord. Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for good for those who love Him, and this gives us hope! We have joy because we have hope. Let us remind ourselves to live in this heavenly reality. In moments of anxiety or stress, whisper this truth : “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Watch peace begin to settle in.
Cultivating Gratitude
Gratitude is the soil where the joy of the Lord takes root and bears fruit. Cultivating the soil of our hearts means being cognizant of both His obvious blessings and His subtle mercies—this trains our hearts to see His hand in our lives. Pause today, and throughout the day, and appreciate His generous provisions for your life!
The Fruit of Joyful Living
When we prioritise the Joy of the Lord, several beautiful things begin to happen. We become more resilient in the face of adversity, more generous in our relationships, and more effective in our service to others. Our lives become testimonies to God's goodness and power, leading others to the message of Jesus Christ.
Living with divine joy makes us attractive to the world—not because life is always smooth sailing, but because we carry a supernatural peace and joy. Go on then, cultivate the habit of living in the joy of Lord!
Prayer
Jesus,
Thank You for the unshakable Joy of the Lord that strengthens and sustains us. In every high and low, help us to anchor our hearts in You. Teach us to wake each day with gratitude, to face trials with faith, and to walk in joy that’s rooted in Your promises. Just as Nehemiah 8:10 declares, “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength”, may Your hope and joy be the strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Let Your joy overflow in our homes, our work, and our worship. We choose to live not by fleeting feelings, but by the lasting joy found in You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
