Oh boy, God, did I ever need this today. Joy is a choice. Happiness is circumstantial. Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. I may not have much control over my circumstances, but I can still choose to be joyful. Keep that in the forefront of my mind today. I pray in the mighty and wonderful name of Jesus. Amen and Amen!
Verses for Today
For choosing joy:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" — Philippians 4:4
"The joy of the LORD is your strength." — Nehemiah 8:10
For joy despite circumstances:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds." — James 1:2
For pain and hope:
"Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." — Psalm 30:5
"Yet I say to you, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." — Romans 8:37
For freedom in Christ:
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." — Galatians 5:1
Devotional Thought
I'll tell you something hard-won: pain is part of life. Cancer, surgery, loss, waiting—these come to us all. But misery? That's a choice. Joy isn't what we feel; it's where we look. Today, I'm choosing to look to Him. Not at my circumstances. Not at my pain. To Him. Rejoice in the Lord always. I'll say it again: rejoice."
