It can be easy to be joyful around the Christmas season, summer vacation, or any other time where you are doing things you enjoy. But what about Monday mornings (personally, I love Monday’s but I know most people don’t) or weekends when you are sick and can’t hang out with your friends?
Joy is always being content with your situation and being happy in it. Paul is someone who demonstrates a crazy amount of joy.
Paul didn’t always have a lot to be joyful about. He was shipwrecked (multiple times!), persecuted, beaten, thrown in jail, on house arrest, and ultimately died painfully (1 Corinthians 11:23-33) . He chose to be joyful through all of that. He said,
I wish I could be as joyful as Paul is. I find it very easy to be happy, especially when I’m around my friends. When I’m tired or stuck at home doing school work, it is a different story. How can we choose to always be happy (aka joyful) even through tough circumstances?
Jesus.
Jesus is the only way we can ultimately have joy. We can’t find joy on our own. We need Him to help us along the way. In the Bible it mentions many times about doing incredible things through Christ. Christ can give us that strength to have joy if we ask him.
Whenever I really stop to think about what God has done for me it fills me with so much joy. I’m saved. I do not need to fear anything because God is there for me. He sent Jesus to die even though I do not deserve it. I am sinful and he was punished for it. It can be so hard to wrap my mind around but at the same time it fills me with a joy that is bubbling up
We have so much to be grateful for. I bet you can name five things right now. Do it (and tell me what they are below). Jesus has done so much for us.
So today, let us chose to have joy.
Have an awesome week!
-Rebekah
Americangirlguide 
So true, Bekah! This post was so encouraging! We all should work on being joyful through every circumstance, even when it’s tough.
Thanks Hayley!! What are some ways you try to stay joyful?
A family that loves each other, a Savior that never leaves me nor forsakes me, a husband that is passionate about his family, a home, and a peace that passes all understanding (even in the crazy times). My list could continue on and on. I appreciated your post and you used some of my favorite scriptures. Thanks for encouraging me!
This is an awesome list. I’m glad I’m included in it 😉
Your welcome!
What a wonderful post, Rebekah! You are so good at writing this kind of devotional post. 🙂 I have SO many things to be thankful for, but some of them are Christ, my family, my friends and blogger friends, my hobbies, and all the wonderful, basic things I am blessed with like enough food, a roof over my head, clean water, etc. that so many people don’t have.
Thank you Allison! I really love writing these type of posts and I want to start doing them more. Great things to be thankful for.
Nice post. 🙂
Thank you!
you’re welcome.
Amen! I choose joy 😀