Joy is a seed God plants in the hearts of His children so the sweet assurance of His presence will blossom in our lives. It is a fruit of His Spirit in us. It is peace dancing, a calm delight, an inner well-being that serves as a thermostat to the outer world, and a happiness built on God’s steadfast love. Joy sometimes giggles; sometimes it sighs. Joy does not always belly laugh, but it always bears a knowing smile. Joy is one of the ways God loves us. We can feel His happiness holding us even through the deepest mourning. We choose to receive and express the joy God gives us by rejoicing.

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NLT). That’s what Paul wrote to the Philippian church. And He didn’t pen those lofty words from a pleasure cruise; he wrote them from prison. In his letter, he told them that people had disappointed him, but he was still rejoicing. He explained that his plans hadn’t turned out as he had hoped, and he was all alone, but he wouldn’t stop rejoicing. He shared how he had lost most of his possessions, but he didn’t lose any joy. He described how he found himself in hard circumstances, yet he still had joy.

You have that joy too when you have Jesus. People will fail you. Circumstances will be hard, and plans will change, but your joy is not dependent on what you go through; it is determined by who loves you! God loves you—deeply—and He expresses that love by giving you His joy. Join in with the joyful Psalmist and sing:

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.

You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy. (Psalm 30:11 NLT)

Ask God today to ignite His “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8 KJV), and then let it loose! Just rejoice no matter what! “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 3:1 NLT).