Where do we look for our joy? Too often, I believe we look to our circumstances for our happiness. When things go well, we can feel good. When we succeed we feel accomplished, when people treat us well, we’re happy and can respond back kindly. When things just seem to be falling apart, we break down and don’t know what to do. We worry and stress about things that are out of our control, just hoping that through stressing and hard work things may change so we can be happy again.
But is that how we should be living? Is what happens around us where we should be looking for our joy?
The answer is a resounding “No!”
Our joy is to be found in the Lord and what he has done for us! His word is reliable and true – it brings encouragement and joy because it tells of the great salvation he’s given us!
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11
Jesus Christ has redeemed us as his own! Our joy comes from the abundant, overflowing love that God has for us – expressed through our Lord Jesus birth, death and resurrection.
Our joy comes from the hope that we have in Jesus, for eternity, not because of the things that happen in this life. Though things can be bad, we can have an unexplained joy because we rest in the Lord. We know that he is good, that we can trust him, that he will never leave us, he’s unchanging, and he’s preparing a place for us in his everlasting kingdom!
So what should we do when life is trying to drag us down?
- Look not at the circumstances, but to Christ. In Matthew 14, Jesus sent the disciples across the lake while he dismissed the crowds. They got stuck in a storm so bad, they were afraid they were all going to die. Then they see Jesus walking across the water towards them. Peter says have me come out to you if it’s really you. So Christ calls him. Peter’s so focused on Christ, he walked on water, but when he started focusing on the storm – the wind and waves around him – he started to sink because he was terrified and lost focus on Christ.
- Pray. Talk to our Lord! It helps us to be able to speak freely with God. Tell him how we feel, what we’re worried about, what is hurting us. Ask him to give us strength in these circumstances and to walk with us. Knowing that he’s with us through it all is a big comfort to me.
- Replace lies with truth. The thought “I’m worthless” is a big and total lie! God has made us in his image, and our worth comes from Him, not our circumstances. There are so many lies that we believe, but we have to take those thoughts captive and replace it with the Truth that is in God’s word.
- Praise the Lord. Praise him for who he is, for what he’s done. When we praise him, it takes our focus off of ourselves and puts it onto him.
When our hearts are focused on him the circumstances fade into the background because he’s in the forefront!
