Introduction 

December, for me, is automatically associated with holiday music, chilly weather, boots, thermals, and heated seats. This is the perfect time to spend with family and friends or laying on the couch underneath my covers and drinking hot cocoa or tea while watching Christmas movies. It is a month I look forward to every year, possibly because it brings back childhood memories of Christmas carols, specifically, Joy to the World - my favorite Christmas Carol. The four stanza masterpiece, published in 1917 by Issac Watts, brought happiness, cheer, and satisfaction to my day every time I heard it. This was long before I understood the true meaning of joy. This 5-day devotional will explore the meaning of joy and how we can intentionally incorporate joy into our lives!

Isaiah 12:6  - Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

Joy can be described as a feeling of pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction. It can also be used as an adjective to describe something cheerful or merry. No wonder why joy is often associated with the Christmas holiday season more than any other holiday. I believe that similar to love, joy is more than a “good” feeling, more than holiday cheer, more than a term used in holiday songs, but a conscious decision. A deliberate decision to delight yourself in the Lord, trusting and believing that He will fulfill His promises. Joy is mentioned hundreds of times in the bible and is usually associated with shouting, giving praises, a song or an expression of pleasure towards the Lord. 

There are numerous songs that describe, express and declare joy. This is a reminder that joy is important, encouraged for believers, and a decision. Singing songs of joy can change your mood, perspective, and how you live life. Singing songs of joy or declaring joy in your life transforms your understanding of how to live life as a believer, despite what you may be going through. I once attended a church that embraced this concept wholeheartedly. From the name of the ministry to the manner of how members greet each other and how testimonies were shared. Literally every welcome and departing expression, included joy. This culture was a constant reminder that regardless of where you were or what you were going through, consider it joy. 

Have you intentionally incorporated joy in your life? If yes, what has been the impact? If not, what can you do this week to be intentional about incorporating joy into your life? Find a scripture that talks about joy and/or select the scripture of today’s devotional and meditate on it. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank Your for sharing songs of joy through Your word. As I reflect on Your word and what joy truly is, help me to find ways to incorporate joy into my life. Reveal to me the many ways joy can be a consistent part of my existence, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.  

Proverbs 17:22 - A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

One thing we can all agree on is that feeling sick or ill is not fun. If you think back to a time that you were not 100% yourself, you can remember how eager you were to get back to your normal self, routine, and way of life. Besides rest, prayer, and lots of liquids, the universal recommendation for getting well quickly is medication. A dose of any specific medication, two or three times a day should get you back on track. When I came across Proverbs 17:22, A joyful heart is good medicine, it made me smile. 

The smile came from the thought of how my children would always ask for the flavor of medication I was preparing for them to take during those seasons of “not feeling 100%”. If the flavor was grape or cotton candy, they cheered - “Yaaaay '' and sometimes did a little dance. But if it was not flavored, I got a “Ahhh Mehnnn”, a wrinkled face, and sometimes a bit of pouting. They would take the medication either way, primarily because they did not have a choice, but their facial expressions towards the unflavored medication were not inviting. So when I think of “a joyful heart being good medicine", I immediately think of my cheering boys. I think of their request for more, not understanding the concept of prescription and the importance of not abusing medication. All they understand is that it tastes good and they want more. 

With joy as your medicine, you have the advantage of not only having more, but you get the bonus of no side effects or limit of use. The best part about joy is that the frequency, intensity and amount can be prescribed by you. In other words, you can self medicate on joy. Take large amounts, multiple times a day, everyday, without any side effects. It can be taken in private or public without the judgment of others or concern of abuse. And it is absolutely free. The next time you are feeling pain, discomfort, or simply not yourself, try prescribing joy.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, when I am faced with emotional and physical pain or discomfort, remind me to self medicate on joy. Help me to understand and accept that a joyful heart can cure anything and that the amount and frequency can be determined by me, in Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen. 

Nehemiah 8:10 - Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The joy of the Lord is your strength. This comforting scripture has helped me through many situations. Knowing that the joy of the Lord is a superpower that can give me the strength to proceed, move forward and to rise up over the years. Now, more than ever,  we are juggling a thousand things and to be frank, juggling is usually draining. There’s not enough time, not enough help, not enough sleep, and did I mention not enough time. Managing the different areas of your life takes skill and if managing it does not become a priority, it can leave you feeling empty, dry and/or weak. Thankfully, we have a solution…The joy of the Lord.

So what is the joy of the Lord? What pleases the Lord? Well, my response is pretty simple. What pleases the Lord or what the joy of the Lord is, is our salvation. That comes with accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and having a relationship with Him. Submitting to His Lordship and spending time studying His Word, His character, and the plans He has for us. Just like our earthly fathers or parents want us to do well, excel and have a secured future, the Lord wants our future to be secured, not just here on earth but also in eternity. So when it comes to your strength, remember you have an “S” on your chest, even when you are a mess, because you know where your strength comes from.

For believers, being superman or superwoman is an outcome of being made in the image of God. we should be above average, we should be leaders at our companies, we should be in the top percentile in school, sports, and every other sphere of influence. Genesis 1:27, makes it clear that we are made in His image so we should operate just like He does - in excellence and with strength. Not because of what we have built up but because we are made in His image. The next time you feel weak or inadequate, remember your superpower - The joy of the LORD is your strength. 

Reflection - Read and meditate on Philippians 4:13 and Nehemiah 8:10. How are they connected? How does this relate to your personal circumstances? Journal your response and pray about what needs to remain the same and what needs to change. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to be intentional in recognizing my strength comes as a result of the joy of the Lord. Constantly remind me of my superpower and help me to operate in Your image. Thank You for qualifying me to partake of Your strength, thank You for giving me access and thank You that I can do all things. I appreciate this honor and I will forever be grateful; In Jesus's name I pray. Amen

Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Todd Galberth’s masterpiece - Joy is coming was a continuous request to Alexa every morning for a brief season in my life. The song starts out with…

We will not be shaken

We will not be moved

For the Lord is beside us

With Him we cannot lose

A charge to remind us and the enemy of our perspective through any situation. Regardless of what we are going through, we are standing on solid ground, refusing to be shaken or moved, confident in our inability to lose. The lyrics go on to confess that joy is coming in the morning, numerous times. In fact it becomes a chant in the song, repeating the phrase“Joy is coming in the morning” approximately 20 times. To some it may seem like unnecessary repetition but to most, it is a declaration of what your future holds - joy.

I am a strong believer that repeatedly speaking a concept (whether true or false), results in that concept becoming your truth. The more you hear something over and over, the more you begin to believe it. This is the reason why the words that come out of our mouth, especially those we repeat, should be thoughtful, positive, and in line with the word of God. In time, it will become our truth. 

Psalm 30:5 is confirmation that whatever challenges you are going through is seasonal. The next phase is the morning and it will definitely be better than the night. Joy will come in the morning. Galberth ends the song by singing…

Your light can drown out darkness and bring your joy to light

We won't submit to sorrow, our joy is coming in the morning

In the morning

Though the night may seem weary

Joy is coming, coming, coming in the morning

All praise to King Jesus

I know joy is coming, yes joy is coming

The words are declaring that God’s light can drown every darkness and as believers we will not submit to sorrow because joy is coming in the morning. The lyrics of this song supported me in a season when I needed encouragement. It reminded me of Psalm 30:5 and surely, the night season was cut short and my joy truly came in the morning. 

Reflection - Are you anticipating the joy that comes in the morning? Have you tried repeating the word of God concerning that season? If not dedicate some time to do so. Be expectant because JOY IS COMING IN THE MORNING!!!! 

Prayer - Heavenly Father, I bless Your name for the season that I’m in, because the Bible says that in all things we should give You thanks.  Specifically concerning (state the area here),I feel lost, hopeless and tired. Lord, I’m holding on to Your word in Psalms 30:5. I know that joy is coming in the morning. I have no doubt of this because Your word says it and if You said it, it will come to pass. Please give me the strength for this season while awaiting the joy that is coming in the morning. Open my eyes to be aware of the morning and the joy that comes with it, in Jesus’s name. Amen. 

Psalms 98:4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.

The famous Christmas song, Joy to the world, was inspired by Psalms 98. Verse 4 instructs us to shout for joy to the Lord, people, land, water - all should shout for joy to the Lord. 

Both the song and the book of Psalms describe how the earth and those that dwell on earth respond to the coming of the Lord - with joy. I am intrigued by the fact that the book of Psalms is instructing people to shout for joy to the Lord, the One who gives joy through our relationship. My understanding is that the world is being asked to make a joyful noise to God who brings joy. This action is an honor to the creator of joy. 

As children of the Most High God, there is an expectation that we spread joy to the world by sharing who God is to the world, encouraging others to fellowship with Him and to allow the joy of the Lord to be their strength. Spreading joy is a form of evangelism. It may not be the most traditional way but it is an effective way. I’ve said many times that for some unbelievers, believers will be the Bible they read. So to attract unbelievers, spreading joy goes a long way. It is not threatening or overwhelming, it is truly sharing your joyful experience with others. 

Now more than ever it is so easy to spread joy. Through an email, a hand-written note, a post on social media, or a conversation with a colleague. Spreading joy can alter someone’s life for the better and it should be an introductory step to sharing the gospel. Have you ever seen someone angry, attempting to spread the word of God? It seems awkward and confusing. I find it difficult to learn about the God someone serves if they are unhappy, lack emotional intelligence, or appear agitated. People want a better life that is happy and filled with joy; hence numerous citations on shout for joy in the Bible. Not only does it please God when we express our joy but it also attracts people to you, allowing the opportunity to evangelize. 

Reflection - When was the last time you shouted for joy to the Lord? How did it make you feel?

Prayer - Lord, I thank You for reminding me in this season of the importance of having joy and spreading joy to the world. Help me to be mindful of the joy I have and how I can be a blessing to others. Lord, provide the tools and resources that are needed to spread joy and to continuously live a joyful life. As was stated in previous days, I am a reflection of You. Since You are joy, You provide joy, and You spread joy through Your relationship, I will strive to do the same. Lord, order my steps and guide me in the way I should go. In Jesus’s name. Amen.