Finding God's Joy

Romans 15:13 (NIV?)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joy, peace, and hope are things we all want. But to many of us, they seem unattainable. How can we find joy when our relationships are strained and our circumstances are uncertain? How can we find peace when the world around us is raging? How can we find hope when we are filled with despair? Paul writes that our joy, our peace, and our hope depend on just one thing: our trust in God. And He doesn’t want to give us just enough joy, peace, and hope to get us through the day. He wants to fill us to overflowing through the power of the Holy Spirit! Some of us have trouble accepting these gifts, but any reluctance is on our part, not God’s. Be certain of this: Our God, whom Paul describes as “the God of hope,” does not want you to go through your days under a cloud of sadness, uncertainty, and fear. He wants you to take hold of and enjoy His gifts of abundant joy, peace, and hope.

THINK ABOUT IT
What things, people, and activities bring you a sense of God’s joy and peace? When those things are absent, what can you do to cultivate God’s peace in your heart?

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I lay before You the fears, anxieties, burdens, concerns, and inadequacies that have weighed upon me. I relinquish them to You. May Your peace grow within me. May I be more aware of Your abiding presence than the presence of any threat, challenge, or need. Greater is Your Spirit within me than anything arrayed against me. In Christ Jesus, I am triumphant. I have been delivered from this present evil age, and I have hope for the seasons to come. In Jesus’ name, amen.