12 Things To Do To Have More Joy!

During this joyful season, some Christians can have less joy when confronted with annoying relatives; feeling burdened at work; bad traffic/weather; and numerous other stressors that seem to become magnified this time of year.  Scripture tells us that we have an enemy that comes to “steal, kill and destroy.”  Satan and the world would love to steal our joy because God says, “the joy of the LORD is our strength, and a joyful mind causes healing”.  Satan and the ‘world’ as defined in the Bible are enemies of the children of God. Without joy, Christians will be weak and lack healing which is why the world and Satan seek to rob Christians of their joy.  As Christians we should be the most joyous people of all people because we know the Sovereignty and Goodness of God; our sin has been forgiven; we have a personal relationship with Jesus; we have the truth of God’s Word; we have the guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit; and we have the promise of an eternity with God in heaven!

God wants us to have joy overflowing:  ” I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you].  If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing. John 15:9-11 AMP

Persecution & Trials should not take away our joy:   “Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.”  James 1:2 AMP

“Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  Matthew 5:12 AMP

Our joy comes from the Lord: “For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].” Philippians 1:21 AMP

“You became imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord, after you welcomed our message in [a time of] great trouble with the joy supplied by the Holy Spirit” 1st Thessalonians 1:6 AMP

What things can try to rob us of our joy?  I asked myself, friends and family members and here’s a short list that was quickly assembled:  

• people at work trying to push their work off on me
•  gossip
• feeling like you’ve been set-up to fail,
• sickness or uncomfortable with physical pain
• someone talking about your child in a negative way
• feeling disrespected
• sudden surprises (like fraud on your debit card) 
• cliques/feeling left out
• unfulfilled expectations (like certain family members not making time for you on holidays as you would like)
• someone stealing a parking spot or texting at a light so you can’t make it through on the green
• impatient people
• inconvenience of any kind
• no goals in life to aim for
• guilt/buried sin
•  complaining people
• insufficient rest
• comparing yourself to others

What, or who, do you allow to steal your joy?

12 Ways to Have More Joy: “A heart full of joy and goodness makes a cheerful face…” Proverbs 15:13 AMP

1) Pour your heart out to God: for an example, read Psalms 3,13,18,43, and 103.  

2) Don’t give up on your prayer requests: “Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete.” John 16:24

3) Be Thankful, praise God always & find good in every situation: The apostles were arrested twice in Jerusalem and ordered not to preach in Jesus’ name.  The second time they faced the court, they were beaten.  Unfazed, they returned home, “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name”, and ready to preach some more (Acts 5:41).  Of course, the apostles were only following the example of our Lord, who had “for the joy set before him…endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2).

4) Be in Community with other believers and Godly friends: “…let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” Hebrews 10:19-25   Other Godly people can help remind us of the truth of who we are in Christ and remind us where our joy comes from, what truly matters for eternity versus what is temporary.

5) Give, Be Generous: “In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 AMP

6) Have Faith & Do Not Fear:  “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.” Philippians 4:6 AMP

7) Focus on Godly Things: (what are you reading?  what are you watching? It could be stealing your joy)  “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” Philippians 4:8 AMP

8) Share & Listen to Testimonies of Salvation: “So, after being supplied and sent on thier way by the church, they went through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the believers.”  Acts 15:3 AMP   (to watch and hear fantastic testimonies, click on the words I AM SECOND below)                                                                     I AM SECOND

9) Study God’s Word: “The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” Psalm 19:8 AMP   

“Engaging in evil is like sport to the fool [who refuses wisdom and chases sin],  But to a man of understanding [skillful and godly] wisdom brings joy.” Proverbs 10:23 AMP  Godly wisdom is found through the study of His Word.

10) Be a peace maker & maintainer: “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.” Proverbs 12:20 AMP

“Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.”  Matthew 5:9 AMP

11) Obey God: If you keep my commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.  I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.” John 15:10-11 AMP   

“If they hear and serve Him, They will end their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy. Job 36:11 AMP

12) Praise God!  

“But let all who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice, Let them ever sing for joy; Because You cover and shelter them,Let those who love Your name be joyful and exult in You.” Psalm 5:11 AMP

What is your favorite way to create more joy in your life?  Please share it with us!

Written by Julie Van Gorp