I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God….
– Isaiah 61:10 (ESV)

I have experienced many joys during my years of coaching. Being part of a state championship football team; winning region titles; and celebrating victories over major rivals are but a few of my joyful memories. Seeing great effort and hard work bear fruit has been a joy. I also remember the joy in getting notes from parents of athletes thanking me for being a positive influence in the lives of their sons. It still brings me joy when I hear the words, “Hey Coach”, and get the chance to catch up on the life of a former athlete. Joy is all around us if we only take the time to look.

Joy is one of the major themes of the Bible. There are 323 references to the concept of joy found in the Bible, so it must be a big deal to God! In the dictionary, joy is defined as “the feeling of great happiness or pleasure.” Biblically, joy is defined as “the happy state that results from knowing and serving God.” What a difference” Seldom does our pursuit of happiness and pleasure bring lasting joy or fulfillment. Too much pleasure can be bad for us, but we can never experience too much joy. God created joy! We will never experience a greater joy than turning our lives over to Him and walking with Him every minute of every day. Joy to the world and Merry Christmas.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the joy You have placed in my life. Help me not only to see it clearly today, but to give it away to others. Amen.