Powered by Joy

The joy of the Lord is your strength. NEHEMIAH 8:10 NIV 

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT) 

Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. (II Corinthians 13:11 NLT) 

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8 NLT) 

Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. (Psalm 68:3 NLT) 

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. (Psalm 28:7 NLT)  

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light. (Colossians 1:11–12 NLT) 

We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that He has for us. (Colossians 1:11–12 THE MESSAGE) 

A NOTE FROM CANDACE 

I’m the first to say that I’ve been blessed in many ways—very blessed! And I try to count those blessings all the time. I don’t want to take a single one for granted. 

But that doesn’t mean my life is perfect. Not by a long shot! It certainly isn’t problem or pain free. I face my share of hurts and heartaches, discouragements, and disappointments. 

There are times when it’s really tough! Times when I feel overwhelmed, under pressure, out of ideas—out of options. Times when I’m not sure how I’m going to make it or how long I can hang in there. 

But even in the midst of those times, even when I’m going through hard things, believe it or not, I’m learning to find joy. I’m discovering that no matter my circumstances, I can always find reasons to be joyful, hopeful, thankful—and that gives me the strength to press on and push through. 

God gives me the strength to press on and push through.  

Because my joy comes from Him. 

My joy comes from knowing down in the deepest part of me: I am loved. I am chosen. I am cherished. I am called. I am cared for. I am held. 

By Him. 

You are too. 

You and I are His beloved daughters—His joy and His delight. He is our beloved Father—our joy and our delight. Whatever comes our way today, our future is so bright! 

That’s why we’re unstoppable—that’s what it means.  

We can tackle any challenge, overcome any obstacle, take on any adventure, knowing He is with us. He is for us. We are His. 

How would you define joy? What does it mean to be joyful? 

This is an excerpt from Unstoppable, the newest devotional guide from Candace Cameron Bure.