“…Joy comes in the morning” Psalms 30:5. Starting my day with Jesus is a habit I’ve had for quite some time. Before I had the counseling help I would have my devotional time to “find Jesus” for the day. I’d often awaken in the morning with my mind flooded with the problems of the day or potential problems that could occur. I would spend time in God’s Word and pray to release these problems to Jesus so they didn’t own me. I didn’t connect this practice to “JOY”, it was simply a practice of finding strength for the day and some level of assurance that I wasn’t going into it alone.

This focus of late on JOY has been so insightful. Joy is often connected to good news, a proud moment, a peaceful time, etc. More than anything else, I’m learning that Joy is/can be a state of mind or being. The assurance of Christ’s presence and His Holy Spirit within us will provide this assurance that Joy will come in spite of whatever circumstance we may presently be experiencing. Also, Joy is often connected to hope. This isn’t hope that man provides, but hope in Jesus Christ’s promise that “He will never leave us nor forsake us.” Deuteronomy 31:6-8 provides this promise along with many other passages throughout the Bible.

A new creation learns to rely on these promises and know they are for him as well as all others. It is a genuine JOY to believe this and know it is true.