A friend recently asked me if I thought I had lost my joy, I guess because life has been difficult for me for awhile. I thought about it and replied "no, not my joy but perhaps a bit of my happiness". You see, happiness depends on my circumstances, joy depends on my relationship with Jesus Christ. I recently read an article in Just Between Us magazine. It spoke of kickstarting one's joy. I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 states to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances because this is God's will for us in Jesus Christ.
So, I made a conscience decision to do this. I sing out loud, listen to the Bible on my Wonder Bible, tell others about what God is doing in my life, and journal about what He has done in my life in the past, His goodness, grace and faithfulness. I marvel at His timing, making this article available to me at just the right time, with its awesome suggestions. Is God real? Yes, He is. Does He care about our joy? Yes, He does. Happiness is fleeting, joy is not if we put our trust in Jesus Christ.
Susan B.