A short study on joy (but this post is kinda long).

I have been thinking a lot about joy this week.  I've been thinking a lot about where I find my joy, about what I base my joy on, and where my joy should come from.  This has been such a long year for us.  God has done so much for us, and yet there is still so much that we desire.  It's easy to get caught up in the desires that are still so heavy on my heart, and not take time to rejoice in what God has already done for us, and to simply find joy in who God is.

I have often said that, "the joy of the Lord is my strength."  So, I decided to do a quick search for "Joy of the Lord"  on Biblegateway.com.  There are SO many verses about joy!  I loved looking through them, and wanted to share a few of my favorites with you.

Nehemiah 8:10b

This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."  

Psalm 33: 1-5, 20-22

 ¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
       it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
 ² Praise the LORD with the harp;
       make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
 ³ Sing to him a new song;
       play skillfully, and shout for joy.
 ⁴ For the word of the LORD is right and true;
       he is faithful in all he does.
 ⁵ The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
       the earth is full of his unfailing love. 

²⁰ We wait in hope for the LORD;
       he is our help and our shield.
 ²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,
       for we trust in his holy name.
 ²² May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
       even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 98: 4-6

 ⁴ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
       burst into jubilant song with music;
 ⁵ make music to the LORD with the harp,
       with the harp and the sound of singing,
 ⁶ with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—
       shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.

 ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  ² Worship the LORD with gladness;
       come before him with joyful songs.
 ³ Know that the LORD is God.
       It is he who made us, and we are his;
       we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
       and his courts with praise;
       give thanks to him and praise his name.
 ⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
       his faithfulness continues through all generations.
 

Isaiah 44:22-24

 ²² I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
       your sins like the morning mist.
       Return to me,
       for I have redeemed you."
 ²³ Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this;
       shout aloud, O earth beneath.
       Burst into song, you mountains,
       you forests and all your trees,
       for the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
       he displays his glory in Israel.

Romans 5: 1-8

 ¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  ⁶You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I'm still planning on asking God to keep blessing us, and laying the requests of my Heart at His feet.

Psalm 20:4-6

 ⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
       and make all your plans succeed.
 ⁵ We will shout for joy when you are victorious
       and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
       May the LORD grant all your requests.

The difference is, that no matter how He answers our prayers, the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Thinking of all of our blessings is such wonderful thing.  "Taste and see that the Lord is good - blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"   It's true today, it was true yesterday, and it will be true tomorrow.  How wonderful is that!

What about you?  Anyone have any favorite verses about joy and blessings to share? I'd love to hear them!