In today\’s world, people focus so much on seeking happiness but happiness is very temporal. And it can be triggered by pleasant feelings, surprises, a satisfying experience, or something or someone that makes you feel good at that moment.
But when it comes to Joy, Joy is a state of your heart. It is a fruit of the Spirit that keeps you bubbly, alive, and keeps your hope anchored on God. It is possible to have joy amid storms and chaos. But it is difficult to be happy when things are down. The former is supernatural while the latter is emotional.
In the Bible, when David experienced chaos in his life and his children were taken away with the people in the village, David found his strength in God as he strengthened himself in the Lord. And that must have been a very deep decision that he took because his anchor is in God.
For many of us today our anchor lies in social media, validation, the money in our account, the compliments we get from people, or when things are working well in our life. But if you want to experience joy in your life, then you need to understand what joy means. Ask the Lord to clothe you with the garment of praises that can help you to overcome the spirit of heaviness and begin to activate the Holy Spirit\’s presence in your life by being led into being joyful at all times.
In your marriage, there will be times when you are truly disappointed by the actions of your spouse. There will be times when there are conflict and tension in the home. Seeking to be happy with your spouse at that moment can make you feel down and unstable but you need to rise above that depressing state.
Here are 14 scriptures that you can use to meditate on the topic, joy.
- Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.
1 Chronicle 16:27 KJV
2. He who pays attention to the word [of God] will find good And blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who trusts [confidently] in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:20 AMP
3. Now the God of hope fills you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 KJV
4. My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until nothing is missing and nothing lacking.
James 1:2 – 4 TPT
5. Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won\’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross because he knew, later on, he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God\’s throne!
Hebrews 12:1 – 2 CEV
6. My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble.
James 1:2 CEV
7. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:22 KJV
8. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, fills shall be to all people.
Luke 2:10 KJV
9. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made complete and overflowing.
John 15:11 AMP
10. Whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1 Peter 1:8 ASV
11. Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4 ASV
12. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full. John 16:24 ASV
13. A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression.
Proverbs 17:22 TPT
14. Let joy be your continual feast.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 TPT
Do you now see that there is a difference between happiness which is temporal and joy which is everlasting?
Which would you rather choose?
Spend some time this week, asking the Lord to keep you joyful, and help you shift your perspective; regardless of what is happening in your life, even when you feel like you\’re going through troubles or challenges in your marriage.
Ask the Lord to help you to experience joy even in the middle of unpleasant experiences. And I pray that the joy of the Lord would be your strength. Amen.
If you enjoyed reading, drop a comment telling us other areas you will want us to share scriptures on.