You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 (AMPC)
For many of us, Christmas holidays means spending more time with family and friends and less time at work. But having a few more holidays doesn’t necessarily translate into a joyful celebration. Certain joy-killers can seem to ruin your Christmas.
The key to experiencing unbelievable joy, regardless of your situation, is to keep God in the forefront.
Keep in mind, joy is different from happiness. If you’re grieving the loss of someone you love, happiness might seem impossible. But somehow, joy is possible. You may not be laughing and the pain may be just as real. Yet you might have this sense deep inside you that God is bigger than the pain, and that he is with you. You may still hurt, but you’ll know that he didn’t cause you the pain, and that he’s going to see you through it every step of the way.
You can access this joy by spending time with God.
As you spend time with God, remember that he loves you unconditionally—more than you will ever know. This incredible relationship we get to have with God is the source of the joy the angel was talking about when he said to the shepherds, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
Our relationship with God is our source of joy, not our circumstances!
God loves you. He cares about you and will never let you down. Keep your relationship with him front and centre this Christmas, and let his joy and strength rise from deep within you.