For more than twenty years, I have used the Inductive Bible Study Method taught by Kay Arthur and Precept Ministries. Part of this method includes marking key words (using symbols and colors) as you read and study the Bible. (I won’t take time to teach the Precept method; you can read more about it here.)
One of the symbols I habitually use is for the words joy and rejoice. When those words appear within a passage or verse that I am reading, I place a smiley face and a heart over the word. (See Philippians 4:4 in the photo taken of this passage in my Bible.) The very first time I marked the word joy, I simply used a smiley face; however, I returned to that verse a few minutes later to add the heart next to it. I believe that being joyful is not about being happy; it is about being happy in my heart—where circumstances, situations, and even people cannot reach in and steal that level of calm, steady, sincere happiness.
Last night, I read Habakkuk 3:17–18, and I think these verses summarize it clearly (emphasis mine).
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
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 (NIV)
In the middle of many difficulties and trials, the writer states without wavering that he will nevertheless rejoice in the Lord. He is not “happy in spite of the circumstances”; he is rejoicing “in the Lord.”
There are nine verses which use the exact phrase: “rejoice in the Lord.” (I used the KJV for looking up this phrase on BibleGateway.com for this post.) If you have a moment today, take to read them and be reminded that our joy comes not in what or who is around us. True joy—lasting, sincere joy—comes from one place: in the Lord!
- Psalm 33:1
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
- Psalm 97:12
Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
- Isaiah 41:16
Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
- Joel 2:23
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
- Habakkuk 3:18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
- Zechariah 10:7
And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord.
- Philippians 3:1
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
- Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice._________________________________Thank you for taking time to read “Rejoice…in the Lord.” Please feel free to leave a comment regarding your thoughts on happiness vs. joy.
wow, Brenda! Thank you for this post today. I needed this reminder of WHO not WHAT to rejoice in. Thank you sweet friend!
Cheryl, you dear friend—I needed this reminder too! How silly of me not to remember that it only makes sense to find my joy in the one thing/the One Person that never changes!
really struggling with this today but I surely need the reminder and now I must carve out some time to spend some more time in these verses and then asking God to give me the joy that I lack. thanks for being iron sharpening iron today.
Sweet Alice—I just stopped to pray for you. You are a true gem who has shown me what grace and joy look like. God is greater!