“It is not wrong to say, “We were made for God.” It is not wrong to say, “We were made for joy.” It is not wrong to say, “We were made to praise.” But it is more fully true to say, “We were made to enjoy God with overflowing praise.” This is the ultimate goal of life.” -John Piper
This is the last article in a 30-day series on how to experience biblical joy. In each article written, I have taken the reader through some steps that can be taken when you find yourself experiencing difficult circumstances and want to fight for joy. These are the steps that God has been teaching me and that I use personally on a regular basis. Steps that, if followed, can help you to experience joy no matter your circumstances.
What is biblical joy? Simply stated, it is a joy that comes from focusing on God, who he is, His faithfulness, and His promises. It is a joy that comes from taking our focus off of the things in this temporary, always-changing world and focusing on a faithful, unchanging God who has given us many promises in his Word that tell us that there is so much waiting for us in eternity and that he is using all that we go through in this life to prepare us for eternity. Those promises can be used to lift us above the daily hard things and fill us with joy that cannot be taken from us.
True Joy Can Be Found in God Alone
One of the names of God is El Simchah Giyli, and it means “God My Exceeding Joy.” The (Hebrew) words “simchah” and “giyl “mean “gladness,” “pleasure,” and “great joy.” When used, it is the same as calling God “your ecstatic joy”! Don’t you love that? We see this name used in Psalm 43.
The 43rd Psalm shows us a man going through some heart-wrenching difficulty. He prays, “Why have you rejected me? Vindicate me! Rescue me! Why do I have to go around mourning & oppressed by my enemy?” But then he quickly turns his focus to the One who is his exceeding joy! Right in the middle of his difficult circumstances, he fights for joy by focusing on God (his exceeding joy) and putting his hope in Him, not his circumstances!
“Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior, and my God.” Psalm 43:4,5
To experience biblical joy is to experience a joyful relationship with El Simchah Giyli – God, My Exceeding Joy. He is joy. Joy is found in him! Joy is found in who he is! Joy is found in his promises!
The Steps to Experiencing Biblical Joy
1. Read the Bible:
The best way to get to know God (My Exceeding Joy) is by spending time in his Word, the Bible. The Bible is the book He gave us that tells us who He is, about His character, about His relationship with his people, how He has worked in the past and how He is working now, how He wants us to live, what He has done for us, and what the future holds for those who follow Him. It tells us how He sent His son, Jesus, and how we can be guaranteed an eternity spent with Him. Only when we get to know God and how he uses difficulty in our lives will we be able to experience true biblical joy.
2. Spend Time in Prayer, Focusing on God:
In order to truly experience biblical joy, we need to choose what we will focus on. Will we focus on our difficult circumstances and become anxious, stressed, hopeless, depressed, and find ourselves in despair? Or will we lift our gaze up to God, Our Exceeding Joy, and experience peace, joy, and hope? Will we choose to experience, as described in the meaning of his name, “El Simchah Giyli”- “gladness,” “pleasure,” and “great joy”?
3. Pray! (Four Prayers to Pray):
1. Thank God for Who He is: Find Bible verses describing God and discussing his character. Pray through these verses and thank him specifically for who he is. You can also find documents online that have the names of God and what they mean. Take time to read and pray through the names of God and thank him for who he is, according to the meaning of each name.
2. Thank God for His Faithfulness: Take time to reflect on all God has done in your life up until now. Thank him for all the ways that he has been faithful. Then, look in his Word and look for the ways he shows his faithfulness in the lives of people there or the verses that tell how he is faithful. Pray through these verses or passages and thank him for his faithfulness.
3. Thank God for His Promises: Spend time reading God’s Word and find the promises there. Promises about the future, about eternity, about what he is doing in you during tough times, and how he promises to help and strengthen you. Pray these verses back to him and thank him for all his promises.
4. Thank God for His Provision: Take time to reflect on your life and notice all the ways God has provided for you. List the things that come to mind and spend time thanking him. Then, go to the Word and find verses telling you about things he has provided for you and promises to provide for you. Pray through these verses and spend time thanking him.
If you follow these steps (or you can come up with something similar that works better for you and focuses you on God), you will come away with a heart filled with strength and joy, even if your circumstances have not changed. You will be focused on the only One who can be Your Exceeding Joy. I have found that when I pray in this way (or even if I just go through one step of the four prayers), I am filled with the joy and strength I need to be faithful and persevere in my walk with God. Nehemiah 8 speaks of this strength in verse 10: “The joy of the Lord is my strength!”
Yes! The joy of the Lord – the joy of in El Simchah Giyli (God My Exceeding Joy) is your strength! I pray that this 30-day series has helped you in your fight to experience biblical joy amidst the difficult circumstances in your life!
To learn more about how to choose biblical joy, check out my book “Everyday Prayers for Joy”!
For weekly encouragement on how to choose biblical joy in all circumstances, subscribe to “Choose Biblical Joy Today”
This article is the end of a series by Gina Smith on biblical joy. Here are more of her articles:
How to Find Biblical Joy When You Face Life Changes
How to Find Biblical Joy When You Find Yourself in Mom Survival Mode
How to Find Biblical Joy When You Enter the Empty Nest Season
How to Find Biblical Joy When You Battle Depression
Finding Biblical Joy in Loneliness
How to Find Biblical Joy When You Don't Feel Like Fighting for Joy