Recognizing Joy (Philippians 4:4)
By: Steve Yates
Every day is an opportunity to see God’s grace at work and joyously celebrate the greatness of our God. I can only imagine what it was like to wait, anticipating a sign from God that He would become human and walk among us. Each one of us has events we can remember that bring us joy, like the birth of a child or grandchild, a new job, or completing a degree.
Philippians 4:4 states, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice.” Having joy in the Lord is a conscious choice we make every day in spite of our surroundings or circumstances. I determine to be joyful and look at life as “opportunities” to engage with others in a Christ like spirit, even when I do not feel like being joyful.
Consider this Christmas season how you will recognize joy in others and be joyful in all that you do. This may require being accountable to others, changing your routine, or studying and memorizing God’s Word on this topic. My challenge to you is to display Christ to the world through your words and actions to help all people Pursue Life in Christ.
Additional Resources
Read The Joy of Christmas devotional
45 ideas for making Christmas ornaments
Listen to Joy to the World
Read "The Night the Angels Got Lost" by Laurie Ressler (for more information about the author)
