Truth About the Joy of the Lord in Life
The Bible talks a lot about how strong and important joy is. For example, in Nehemiah 8 and 9 that includes the well-known verse, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” There are also verses in Proverbs 10:28 about the hope of the righteous is joy, and James 1:2-3 tells us to consider it joy when we face troubles in life.
One day, I was praying for people who need joy but are going through difficult situations that might make them angry, sad, or confused. I believe God gave me a good reason why joy is so important. He said, “The joy of the Lord is important because it comes from comparing God’s strength to the devil’s plans or the devil’s tricks.”
God’s power has never changed since the beginning of time. It is unlimited and can’t be overwhelmed by anything the devil does. The devil has been telling the same lies and using the same tricks since the first days of man.
When I heard this, it made me realize two things. First, it’s not enough to just know who God is — we need to experience His power in our lives. Second, I thought about Christians who don’t always walk in joy, even though they can have that peace and strength that comes from God’s power if they choose to.
I believe one reason I am here on this earth is to help people enjoy life. But I also know that real hope and victory over tough times come from having a relationship with Jesus. If people only know who I am but don’t know Jesus Christ, I feel I’ve missed my purpose. We all have a responsibility to show others Christ, often through how we handle problems — by walking in joy through life’s struggles. This doesn’t mean ignoring difficulties, but instead giving our worries to God and comparing His power to the plans the devil might have against us.
So today, I ask you: do you have joy even when life is hard? Are you a Christian but don’t have joy in your daily life? The only way to really know God better and trust Him more is by spending time with Him. This can be reading the Bible, worshiping, or going to church. But the most important thing is having a heart that is surrendered to Him.
When I was dealing with a debilitating medical condition many years ago and almost lost my eye, I found my victory by admitting I couldn’t control everything. Instead, I chose to trust God. That trust brought me peace, and that peace brought me joy.
Today, I pray that you find the joy of the Lord — the joy that is your strength for life. And I pray that the joy you have will be contagious to others, especially in a world searching for peace. Just call out to Jesus — He’s only one prayer away.