Finding Lasting Joy Through Faith: Strength and Peace in God

Psalms 51:12 "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (NIV)

There is so much anxiety, angst, and anger in the world that we have sometimes forgotten about joy. Joy is more than a cheerful disposition—it is a way of being. Happiness can come and go, but joy is a way of life. Joy comes from our confidence in God. The Bible teaches that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Because God is the source and reason for our joy, it endures. It endures in hard times. It is knowing that the Lord is with us. It is knowing that He will never leave us nor forsake us. It is knowing that He is working all things together for our good. When we truly believe this, stress gives way as we wait in full confidence that God will not leave things as they are. In His time, He will transform the moment into a new testimony of His faithfulness to us.

It is this joy that sustains us in the shadow of death. When we do not have this joy, dark moments can overtake and undo us. We will not have a positive outlook. We will not have faith. Stress, worry, and fear can overwhelm us. We might give up or stop trying.

Joy is a product of faith. To the degree that we believe that God will keep His word, we have joy. We may not be jumping around all the time, but our outlook is positive because we have no doubts that all things are possible for God. And we have no doubts that He loves us even in our imperfection and wants to do good things for us, just as a father would for his children. As joy sets in, we see everything differently. On the other hand, our fear, stress, and worry reveal a lack of faith and joy. They go together. We need faith to have joy.

Prayer: Lord, increase our faith so that we might know true joy. Amen.