 Article written by my sister-in-Christ, M. Featherson

3 Biblical Ways to Choose Joy Every Day

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

Have you ever had a day, maybe even a week or two, when you couldn’t quite pinpoint what was happening within you? When it felt like something was trying to snatch your joy?

Every day you wake up, pray, and experience good, quality time with the Lord. You’re filled with praise and worship for the Lord. You hear the Holy Spirit speaking into your day, and once He has poured into you, you begin the busyness of the day… only to be hit with the state of blahs.

Well, my friend, you are not alone.

The good news is that God has given us the power to overcome these blahs. So join me as we study three biblical ways to choose joy every single day.

Choose Joy By Identifying Your Blahs and Resisting the Devil

Those blahs may take the form of boredom, depression, dissatisfaction, indifference, or just plain tiredness.

We have an enemy of our soul, who has studied everything about us, and his job is to interrupt and disrupt our lives. He wants to stop us from enjoying our journey with Jesus. He desires to cause a disturbance, whether big or small. The devil uses tactics such as dropping all kinds of slanderous thoughts into our minds. He hits us with the day’s “what ifs.” He may highlight some concerns we have or shoot a fiery dart at us when we least expect it.

Satan is a liar, and he works to divert and distort God’s truth. He hopes to get us to turn our attention away from God and doubt Him. For this reason, we need to put on the armor of God daily.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV

If the enemy cannot have our souls, he attempts to steal our joy. Imagine a sour, grumpy, miserable Christian… not attractive, right? And definitely not an effective footman for the Lord. Jesus has given us eternal life, and while we are here on Earth, we should be experiencing life in abundance – a life marked with joy, which is the opposite of being in a state of blahs.

We resist the devil by not allowing our thoughts to dwell on “what ifs” and doubts. If we don’t resist, we open a door that gives Satan more access to deceive and rob us of our joy. We negate our faith in God’s promises by entertaining the enemy’s lies and acting on wrong thoughts, which is the sin of unbelief. And sin has consequences. When we habitually do this, we forfeit our peace and joy (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Pray Continually and Abide in God’s Word

Walking in joy requires us to consistently call on the Lord in good times and during struggles. We are to open our mouths and let the Spirit fill them with His truths.

“Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.” Psalm 116:2 NKJV

Every morning in prayer, we should put on the armor of God by faith, knowing that when we pray, Heaven is on our side. Paul instructed the Thessalonians to rejoice always and pray continually, and this directive also applies to us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).

It can be hard to rejoice if we are unaware of God’s promises. Paul tells us that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Reading, reflecting, and applying God’s written word to our daily lives gives us the assurance that we can take Him at His word. God is always working things out on our behalf (Romans 8:28).

So, who are you listening to? What are you focusing on? If your focus isn’t on God’s absolute truths, then your joy is susceptible to being hijacked.

Choose Joy By Trusting Jesus: Our Savior and Sure Foundation

The psalmist wrote that we are to rejoice and be glad every day that Jesus has given us (Psalm 118:24). This is not a request but a directive. Therefore, we are to consistently choose joy regardless of what we face or feel.

We choose joy because our Savior is the chief cornerstone and our foundation (Ephesians 2:19-20). Jesus has stabilized our footing because of His finished work on the cross. Now, I’m not saying we can’t cry in sadness or be disappointed when things go awry. I’m saying that if our hope is anchored in Christ, the Sure Foundation, we can trust Him with our heart, our pain, and with life’s hardships and disappointments.

“… the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV

The Triune God has given us His joy and His peace, and it ISN’T circumstantial. It isn’t fleeting, and it is ours forever. Ahh, joy is offered in place of sorrow. God makes all the difference in the world.

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” Romans 5:2 NLT

Faith grants us access to God’s grace which equips and enables us to stand firm against woes and wiles so we can walk in the fullness of joy.

Remember, joy flows from knowing who you are in Christ!

Now join me in the book of Genesis to study the life of Joseph and reflect on how he chose joy amidst tremendous adversity.

Joseph: A Story About Choosing Joy

Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, grandson to Isaac, and great-grandson to Abraham, was adored by his father. He spent most of his time with his father while his brothers were out in the field. The brothers hated Joseph and were jealous because of the love and admiration shown to him by their father.

Joseph was also dearly loved by God. So much so that God gave him two dreams showing him that he would rule over his family in the future. His brothers were so enraged that they plotted to kill him but ended up selling Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37).

Joseph ended up in Potiphar’s house and became successful as an overseer of his house. But his success was halted when Potiphar’s wife lied against him. Joseph was imprisoned and spent many years there (Genesis 39). As if that was not enough, Joseph was forgotten in prison for an additional two years after Pharoah’s butler (whose dream he favorably interpreted) forgot to help him out of jail (Genesis 41:1).

But the Lord was with Joseph

Joseph could have been overwhelmed by his circumstances but he never complained because he knew and trusted God. God gave Joseph favor with the chief jailer and prospered him (Genesis 39:23).

Joseph experienced God’s hand at work in his life. God enabled him to accurately interpret Pharoah’s dreams and gain his respect and admiration. Pharaoh made Joseph second in command and gave him great authority over the entire land. Joseph governed Egypt with God’s wisdom and was eventually reunited with his brothers during a period of great famine. He chose to love and forgive his brothers instead of retaliating against them (Genesis 41-45).

“Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:19-20 NKJV

Joseph maintained his joy through all his challenges! Friend, choose to walk in joy every day… it’s a choice.

Be Blessed,