The Road to Joy

We are only existing until our lives are connected with Christ. Once that happens…oh the joy!

Of course that’s not to say everyday you will feel happy and never go through trials, but it is possible to experience joy daily. Unlike happiness, joy is not based on a feeling or circumstances.

Joy is choosing to look beyond what appears to be true in our life to what is true about our life in Christ. True joy is only found in Christ and in His presence is the fullness of joy.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11 NKJV

To experience joy, focus on Christ. The joy of the Lord is your strength. As Christians, we must learn to view life from God’s perspective. Know this, the enemy can go no further than God allows. For reassurance of this, just read the first chapter of Job in the Bible. Everything we go through is filtered through our sovereign God.

“…Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” – Nehemiah 8:10 NLT

Joy Comes with Trust

While seeking the road to joy, know that trust is required. God is the source of our joy and in order to experience joy, we must trust Him. To trust God is to depend on Him and to put our confidence in Him. To know Him is to trust Him. However, we won’t know Him unless we spend time with Him by studying His Word and praying.

When you became a Christian, you put your faith (or trust) in God. That same faith is required as you walk with Him daily. It is much easier to trust God when you have a relationship with Him. When you have relationship, you know who He is to YOU. You understand that God’s very essence is love and as His child, you know He loves you no matter what.

When you trust Him, you know that even if God doesn’t perform as you desire, that speaks nothing of His abilities because you know that He is able to do anything. He’s omnipotent (all powerful). Also you know that He works all things (good and bad) together for your good.

“…the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.” - Psalm 32:10 NIV

As you can see, the road to joy requires trust. The key to trusting God is to KNOW Him. Once you know and trust Him, you can have joy.

A Joyful Heart is a Thankful Heart

The road to joy is via a thankful heart. God has done so much for us that we often take it for granted. Sometimes (especially when we’re having a pity party), it’s hard to think of all the reasons we should be thankful to God. So if you need a little help to get started down the road to joy, here are just a few reasons to thank God:

• He gave His Son - remember the cross and the price that was paid
• He gave you life - you’re alive and breathing at this very moment
• He gave you sight - you’re reading this right now
• He gave you a sound mind- you’re able to read and understand this content
• He provided you access to a computer - you’re reading this via the internet (or you have a friend who decided to share this with you - in which case He gave you a friend)

Rather than complaining, think of ways to thank God for all He’s done and continues to do for you. You see, Satan comes to take away the very thing that God intended for us to have…abundant life. Satan seeks to take away your joy, but it is God’s intention that we have joy.

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” - John 10:10 NLT

Study God’s Word because it is your anchor. It reveals God’s promises to you and helps you to reflect on His goodness.

I remember one of my friends telling me about a sermon entitled “The Other Side of Through.” Even though it’s been years since I first heard the story, it still resonates with me because it’s so simple to think back on all that God has brought me through, yet so often it’s not the first thing I think of when I encounter difficulty.

However, the best way to have joy is to think back on all the things God has done for you in the past. Recall what you thought you would never make it through…and now take a look at yourself on ‘the other side of through’- this gets you on the road to joy.

Be Thankful In Everything

Granted it would be difficult to thank God for everything because in reality, life is sometimes tough. However, we can and should thank God in everything.

God is at work in everything and there is a purpose behind everything we go through. God either sent it or allowed it. It’s not God’s intent that we become victims of life’s circumstances, but rather become victors over life’s circumstances. He may not always save us ‘from’ difficult circumstances, sometimes He chooses to save us ‘in’ them.

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

I once heard a pastor share a story that reiterates why we can thank God in everything. He talked about a master and his servant.

The two went hunting and somehow during the course of event the servant mistakenly shot off the master’s finger attempt to clear a jam. The master became enraged and ordered the servant be put in jail for making such a horrible mistake.

Some time later the master goes out hunting again with his new servant and they encounter a group of cannibals. The new servant is eaten but as the master is screaming with arms raised high, “please don’t eat me” they notice that he is missing a finger. This is significant because cannibals believe they are what they eat so they will not eat anything they believe is deformed in some way.

The master is left unharmed and realizing what just happened he ran back to the jail and apologized profusely to his old servant telling him what happened, realizing he’s the reason his life was sparred. However, the servant simply said, “no, thank you. It’s all good because you see; there is nothing wrong with me so had I not been in jail I would have suffered the same fate as the one that was with you.

The moral of the story is we really can thank God in everything because He is always working things out for our good. While initially it would be hard to understand how being shot, losing a finger or going to jail could be viewed as good, but these things all worked together for their good.

It’s a balance between the good and the bad that makes things work out for your good. Look for God’s hand at work in your situation. Everything thing is either God sent or God allowed. If He sent it, it’s definitely for your good and if He allowed, He will use it for your good.

My Godmother helped me understand this by explaining it this way.

“Just think how highly God must think of you to know that you can handle this situation.”

You can thank God no matter what because of who He is and what He’s done for you (not your circumstances). In fact, when we shift our focus to God rather than our circumstance we get a better view.

Trust is required to travel the road to joy and it is paved with thankfulness.

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