Finding and Keeping Joy in Your Heart

Joy is defined as a vivid emotion of pleasure and contentment. When we think of joy, we need to clarify what joy means in our spiritual and personal life.

As a Christian we receive God-given joy through our relationship with Christ. This joy grows as we share Jesus Christ with others.

We receive joy when we teach preschoolers about Jesus and show love to them and their families.

In our personal life, we experience joy from God’s creation, friendships, and family.

I love the song, “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy” by George William Cooke. While it is often sung with children, it applies to us as well when we sing that the joy is “down in my heart to stay.”

How do we keep this joy alive in us?

We must keep growing in the knowledge of our Lord and praying that He will teach us something new about Him every day. True joy comes from close fellowship with God.

As leaders of Mission Friends, we experience the excitement of preschoolers learning about missionaries who share Jesus’ love for people all over the world. Such joy is demonstrated by these little ones, and that joy reflects on us. I love the laughter that echoes from our room as preschoolers play, learn, and grow closer to God.

Joy is the happiness and contentment which happens when we walk close to God and seek His knowledge. We are blessed with joy when we follow His plan and share Jesus with those around us.

I know that God’s plan for me is to love and teach children, and I receive boundless joy from following His plan for my life.

To keep the joy in our hearts, let’s listen to what God has planned for us. Let’s stay close to God by praying, reading the Bible, listening to the Holy Spirit, and serving God and others. And God will fill our hearts with joy.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NKJV).

Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus, we pray for our desire to have a closer walk with You. We ask You to help us obtain more knowledge of You through praying, reading the Bible, and listening to You. We want to find joy and keep it in our hearts. Help us to share this joy with the little ones that you have entrusted to us. Let our joy shine like a light where others can see what we have in our hearts. In Your most holy name, amen.