Living with Joy

Joy Comes In the Morning

His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

— Psalm 30:5

God of comfort, Giver of joy, I thank You for the favor You bestow on me, “favor [that] is for life.” Trouble in my life may prompt weeping, but I know that You are always there to comfort me and that with Your comfort comes the promised joy. So I ask You to keep me ever mindful that the difficulties I encounter on this earth will not last forever. Help me also to share with other children of Yours that the disappointments they face are “but for a moment,” for You have promised Your people that “joy comes in the morning.”

Rejoicing in Trials

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. — James 1:2–4

Compassionate and wise Father, no one I know welcomes trials and troubles, and I am certainly no different. When trials come, I can struggle to find joy. So I ask You to allow these trials — this “testing of [my] faith” — to produce patience in me.

Grow my trust in You so that I truly can “count it all joy” when hard times come. Purify my heart so that I might have the endurance and patience to live each day for You. My desire is to allow nothing in my life to separate me from Your loving presence.

Running the Race with Joy

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. — Hebrews 12:1–2

Wise and faithful God, I thank You for enabling those of us who name Jesus as our Savior to endure in our faith. Thank You for the example I find in Jesus: He was able to endure the physical pain, emotional agony, and spiritual darkness of the cross “for the joy that was set before Him.” Teach me, Lord Jesus, to keep my eyes on the joy of eternity so I can endure whatever challenges come my way. That great reward of eternal life with You — a reward made possible by Your ultimate sacrifice — is waiting for each of Your children. And as I await that reward, Father, may Your Spirit live within me so that I might become everything You would have me be.

The Joy of Salvation

I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. — Psalm 13:5–6

Gracious Lord, my heart is indeed filled with joy when I think of my salvation, a gift You paid for with the sacrificial gift of Your Son. I am grateful for other forms of Your love and for the hope of my eternal future with You. When I look back, I clearly see Your mercy and forgiveness shining brightly over every day of my life — You have “dealt bountifully with me” — and I look forward with great anticipation to the future You have planned for me. In the meantime I will — by Your grace — continue to “[trust] in Your mercy” and sing to You, Lord.

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Your Turn

Have you experienced the joy of God’s comfort? Come join the conversation about joy on our blog! We would love to hear your stories, thoughts, and prayer needs! ~ Devotionals Daily