13 Be Happy

Be Happy​

Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! -– Nehemiah 8:10 NLT

Are we, as Christians, as happy as we ought to be? Or do we appear no different from unbelievers, filled with gladness when life is going well, but miserable when misfortune comes our way?

As believers, we have access to the enduring joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:22, we learn that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us up with joy, we can show the world a new way of thinking. But, it is up to each of us to tap into this deep and abiding source. True joy in our lives ought not to be dependent on life’s circumstances and the inevitable storms of life.

In the words of the apostle Peter, we are "...filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV).

Jesus wants us to be filled with His joy daily, and He gives clear directions for accomplishing this in the book of John.   “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24 NIV).

Therefore, we must call upon the Lord to keep our eternal flame of joy from being overshadowed by disappointments.