Looking For Joy In All The Wrong Places

I recently read an article that listed forty ways to discover joy. God was number forty on the list. The thirty-nine suggestions placed before God, were primarily tangible, temporary joys. Ultimately, this false joy results in sorrow and separation from God.

Psalm 87:7 says, “All my springs of joy are in you.” Where God is, there is a life-sustaining stream of refreshment and joy. But many pursue joy in possessions, other people, or pleasures.

The Hebrew word for spring is maqor, meaning “fountain or wellspring.” God said in Jeremiah 2:13, “They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” The joy found in the Lord, however, flows like a fountain.

Nehemiah 8:10, reminds us, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Wading in hardship may be difficult but it doesn’t have to be joyless. Streams of joy can smooth the rocks in our path. Romans 15:13 tells us, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Joy comes with believing God and trusting His Word. Whether we’re seeking joy for the first time or longing to rediscover it, we can:

• Study God’s Word. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and will naturally emerge when we’re grounded in His Word.
• Pray for God to restore our joy, (Psalm 51:12)
• Observe nature and appreciate God’s amazing creativity.

Remember that salvation is the greatest gift, and we have eternal life with Him. Find joy by coming to God’s spring, where water continually moves — flowing over rocks and making the hard places smooth.