Choose Joy

Though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakkuk 3:17–18

Joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is based on circumstances; joy is based on God. Happiness is rooted in positive emotions; joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). No matter what is going on in our lives, God longs to give us joy through the power of His Holy Spirit.

Once, when I lost a baby—between having my two girls—absolutely nothing about that loss made me happy. Not then. Not now. Yet God cared for me in that moment. As He had in every other painful event in my life, God met me in my sorrow—and He walked me through it. He didn’t leave me stuck because He had something good ahead to show me—joy.

Joy isn’t a cheap imitation of happiness. It’s something much more. Think of happiness as candy; think of joy as medicine. When your heart is sick, when the pain seems unbearable, you want medicine—not sweets.

Because of God’s good medicine, I could heal. I had lost something precious, and everything around me seemed dead, but God was still good. Joy in the midst of pain was the medicine I needed.

You are my strength, Lord. Thank You for Your joy that heals me and frees me.