With the craziness of this world, we could all use a little more joy in our lives! It can be a struggle, especially when life is hard. When I’m overwhelmed and struggling to find my joy, I turn to the Bible first. There are TONS of Bible passages on joy. In this post, I’m sharing my top 10 Bible verses about joy with you!
Benefits of Finding Joy
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Before we dive into the Bible verses on joy, let’s talk about the benefits of it. We all know that joy leads to a better mental state. According to Mental Health America, joy helps your pain and stress decrease.
Along with the mental health benefits, joy can also benefit your body too. It helps your heart, circulatory system, and nervous system too! Even smiling when you DON’T feel joyous can still give your body a boost!
What’s the Difference Between Joy and Happiness?
Most of us have used happiness and joy as meaning the same thing. But I’ve been learning that there is a difference between these two words.
Happiness is a reaction to a circumstance in our lives. Joy is a state of mind, no matter the circumstances.
Can You Find Joy When Life is Hard?
You might think it’s impossible to find joy when life is hard. But that’s not the case. It’s entirely possible to find joy, even in the hardest times. In Philippians 4 Paul says, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Verses 11-13) Paul found that he could be content, and have joy, no matter what he was enduring in life. And guess what? You can too!
10 Bible Verses About Joy
The Bible is our ultimate source of joy. It’s inspired by God and available to us at any time and in any life season. I’ve turned to the Bible during my times of plenty and of need. It’s never failed me. Keep reading to learn my top 10 Bible verses about joy.
Bible Verses About Joy in the Morning
There’s just something about the morning. I love to sit in the quiet stillness as a new day begins.
If you’ve visited Faithful Ninja Momma before, you’ve probably heard me talk about starting the day with God. I spend a few minutes every day in Bible reading and prayer. This devotional time is essential for me to fill up with the joy only God provides. These 2 Bible verses about joy in the morning are the perfect reminders of His promises to us.
- “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23.
- “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5.
Bible Verses About Joy and Peace
Modern life makes it so hard to find peace. We’ve always got some activity, obligation, or work project looming over our heads. If you’re like me, even when you’re trying to sleep, your mind is going over and over everything you have to do tomorrow! It never stops!!!
We can’t stop working and doing what we promised to do. But we can find peace by resting in our faith. These Bible verses about joy and peace are a great reminder of His peace.
- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13.
- “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52.
Bible Verses About Joy and Thanksgiving
Being thankful is one of my favorite ways to find joy! When you’re thankful for your blessings, it’s almost impossible to lose your joy. But, if you forget all about gratitude, and only focus on the negative, it’s much harder to find joy in our lives.
I had some trouble with being thankful while going through cancer treatments. My life seemed hopeless, and gratitude was the farthest thing from my mind. It was a struggle, but focusing on thankfulness helped bring back the joy in my life. While fighting my way back, God gave me these Bible verses about joy and thanksgiving. They reminded me that I can always be grateful.
- “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” Psalm 95:2.
- ”Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Bible Verses About Joy in Suffering
It’s kind of weird to think about joy while you are suffering. We usually think of joy being related to good times in our lives. Yes, joy can and should be present when life is going well for us.
But we can also have joy when life isn’t so good. God reaches out to us when we feel forgotten. He promises to sustain us when we’re broken-hearted. And He can provide joy even through the tough times.
In order to receive his promises of peace and joy no matter what, we have to accept His free gift of love. We have to accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives. And we have to look to him for our continual source of joy. These next 2 Bible verses about joy and suffering are a great reminder of this.
- “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2.
- “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2-3.
Bible Verses About Joy in the Lord
In this post, I’ve shared several Bible verses about joy in different life situations. These scriptures are all great and are great reminders to always be joyful. But the most important joy we can experience is joy in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It might be hard to find joy when you’re suffering. Being thankful doesn’t come naturally when life seems to constantly work against you. Fortunately for us, we have another source of joy. This source will never run out. His promises for joy and peace are as true today as they were 2,000 years ago. My prayer is that these verses remind you to have joy in the Lord every day!
- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.
- “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4.
Harnessing Joy in the Lord in Your Life
These 10 Bible verses about joy show us that through Christ, we can always have joy in our lives and peace in our hearts. No matter our situation or circumstances, we know who holds the world. We know who wins in the end.
So, how can you harness the joy of the Lord through the chaos in your life? You can start with setting aside time for God every day. Bible reading and prayer are wonderful ways to kick-start your day!
Plugging into a church family is another great way to harness joy in your life! Find a place where you can connect with other believers. After finding a church home, it’s time to get involved. Sharing in the work of the church is a great way to grow your relationship with God. It’s also a wonderful way to experience more joy from His promises.
Blessings,
