Nurture your heart to live and believe with joy

A monarch butterfly rests on a wildflower.

Scripture offers us many reminders of the amazing gifts the Lord provides. Complete and reassuring, Paul’s description of the fruits of the Spirit list one by one the ways that following Christ’s teaching makes everything better:   

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22 NIV  

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Love and peace connect us to God and others; forbearance, gentleness and self-control strengthen us and guide our behavior; kindness, goodness and faithfulness fill us with blessings and purpose. And then there’s joy. Joy may be a little word, but it’s a big blessing when we mindfully cultivate it. Rather than settling, or just trying to make it through the day, we can wear our joy on our sleeves: joy that we’re blessed with all the fruits of a life in Christ. Scripture says it’s ours to claim. 

Our wonderful world  

For You make me glad by Your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what Your hands have done. How great are Your works, Lord, how profound Your thoughts!
Psalm 92:4-5 NIV 

We’re blessed to live in a world where beauty and wonder are everywhere. A breathtaking mountain vista. A brilliant sunset. A calming horizon. The very first time you saw a butterfly. A first kiss. The sounds of a choir praising the Lord with soul-filling harmonies. Experience the world’s wonder as if for the first time, re-opening your eyes and ears to the Lord’s gifts. When we rediscover the next-level joy promised in the Bible, we trade nonchalance for gratitude and joy. 

God’s got this (whatever "this" is!)  

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3 NIV 

Obviously, life’s not all mountaintops and butterflies. Health scares, financial challenges, panic attacks, family conflicts, natural disasters—life can get overwhelming. When we are heavily burdened, it sure doesn’t feel like joy. But Scripture tells us to seek joy even in the darkest of times. What a gift it is to know that a loving God is working on it with us, giving us the strength to cope. When the crisis passes, when our grieving hearts heal, when life returns to our version of normal, we find our faith has grown, our perspective is restored. And we even feel the joy that comes from trusting God to get us back to a place where all is well. 

Eyes on the prize of salvation  

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV 

As He fills our hearts and souls with joy, God saves the best for last. Through all life’s ups and downs, His promise of life after death guides us as we grow our faith and follow His light. In Christ’s resurrection, God offers us the perfect reason to fill our hearts and lives with goodness and love. He has forgiven us and saved us. We are His forever.  

And that’s something to rejoice about.