Joy is one of the most prominent themes of the Bible. From the very beginning, God’s plan for mankind has been to bring us joy and peace. Throughout the Bible, we see stories of joy in response to God’s blessings and celebration of His promises. In the Old Testament, the Israelites rejoiced and sang songs of joy when they escaped from the Egyptians and made their way to the Promised Land. In the New Testament, Jesus brings joy to those who follow Him, and encourages others to do the same. The Apostle Paul also speaks of joy in his letters, urging believers to be joyful even in difficult circumstances.
Joy is threaded all the way through the Christmas story. Angel Gabriel promises joy to Zechariah when he tells him that Elizabeth will conceive in her old age and give birth to John the Baptist; the shepherds were brought great news of joy on the hillside; and the magi, or wise men, when they saw that the star had stopped at Bethlehem were filled with great joy. Do you know who wasn’t filled with joy at the birth of Jesus when he was visited by the magi? Herod. The verse reads that he was disturbed (as was Jerusalem). He was not full of joy like others were. His heart was hard to the love of God.
The Bible teaches us that joy is a gift from God, and that it is something to be celebrated and shared with others. According to the Bible, joy is not the same as happiness, although the world tends to believe they’re interchangeable. Both are emotions, but their sources are different. The source of joy is rooted in the Holy Spirit - it is the Fruit of the Spirit. Happiness, however, is grounded in circumstances that can quickly dissipate with a middle-of-the-night phone call, a disappointment, a misspoken word, or watching the evening news.
Because joy differs from happiness, we can walk through all circumstances trusting in God. Bible verses can help us when we go through a difficult season as they are reminders of God’s promises and love for us. Joy is rooted in who God is rather than on who we are and what is happening around us. It is not fleeting or based on circumstances. Worldly possessions, accomplishments, even the people in our lives, are blessings that make us happy and fuel joyfulness. However, the Bible teaches that the source of all joy is Jesus. God’s plan from the beginning, the Word made flesh to dwell among us, is rock solid, allowing us to navigate difficult situations while sustaining our joy.
And the best part is we don’t have to wait until heaven to know how good Jesus is. We get to have a relationship with Jesus, where we get to worship him, talk to him, listen to him, and love him. Knowing Jesus requires time with him in the word of God, and that time produces a relationship full of abundant peace and joy.
God’s word is His revelation to us, it’s where we can get to know him no matter what is going on in our life. God says in his word that he will never leave us or forsake us, he will strengthen us, he will comfort us, and bring us peace. He is near to the brokenhearted and wants to bless us and keep us close to him.
Biblical joy is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives. Joy comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfil his promises.