Your best ally in times of trouble...

Where can I find happiness? Does God want me to be happy? How do I walk through trials joyfully? These are some of the questions we’ll be talking about this week in our series, “Living in Joy.” I pray you enter into the fullness of joy He has for you!  Days go by, each one different than the last. Every moment is unique, bringing joy, enthusiasm, misunderstanding, or discouragement. Humanly speaking, it’s hard to get past difficult moments. However, personally, I choose to fix my eyes on Jesus and on His Word. Why? Because my God is faithful! And my God, our God, has entrusted to us a formidable weapon...His joy! The book of Nehemiah gives us a beautiful illustration. We read that the people, when they discover God’s law, begin to weep in discouragement. But their governor, Nehemiah, encourages and exhorts them to...have a party and rejoice! (see the Bible, Nehemiah 8:9-10, NKJV)   And that’s what the people did...when it seemed all they could do was cry, they went home, feasted, and celebrated. God knows what He’s doing when He asks you to take ahold of His joy and rejoice in Him...the joy of the Lord is truly your strength! (see Nehemiah 8:10) It’s your best ally in times of discouragement and trouble. I invite you to join in singing this spontaneous worship song with Jenn Johnson of Bethel Music and declare this truth: “The joy of the Lord, the joy of the Lord, is our strength!”   Do you feel discouraged or defeated, friend? Take hold of the joy that God wants to give you! He is your help, your fortress, and your friend. This joy is His gift to you!