JamesShembull

When we read verses like these, the truth that they communicate can often be counterintuitive. How do we have joy when we “face trials of many kinds?” The first place to start is to distinguish that there is a difference between happiness and biblical joy that comes from God. Happiness is a feeling that is directly impacted by our external circumstances. When life is trending upward we experience happiness, but when things aren’t going well, when troubles come our way, when things are hard, that feeling of happiness can disappear quickly. Joy, on the other hand, is so much more than a feeling. Joy is a deep knowing that God is in control of whatever we may be going through, and not only is he in control of it, but He is good. Joy is a choice. Joy is something we can choose every day, no matter what we’re going through. When life throws troubles our way we don’t have to be tossed around and controlled by our circumstances. We can choose joy in the middle of whatever we’re going through because we know that God is good, faithful, and is there with us in the middle of our storm. As we consistently choose joy, our faith becomes perfected as the troubles we go through shape our character, so we look more and more like Jesus.

Prayer points:

• Make the decision as you pray today to choose joy no matter what your feelings might be telling you.
• Ask that God would shape your character through whatever you may be going through.