Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Today, I want to talk about joy. Not just any joy, but the joy of the Lord! I love what my commentary says regarding the joy Paul speaks about in Philippians: “…Paul’s joy wasn’t based in a sunny optimism or positive mental attitude as much as it was the confidence that God was in control. It really was a joy in the Lord.” Paul tells us to rejoice - to remember and celebrate the joy found in the Lord, His plan, His power, His presence! We were lost in sin and despair, but we have been found and given life in Him!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

When we choose to celebrate this joy, it is not because life is always easy, calm, or predictable. There will be times when life seems to be going your way - "Rejoice in the Lord always." But there will also be times when anxiety sneaks up on you, sorrow covers you in darkness, worries pile up at your doorsteps, and pain and hardship leave you feeling broken - "I will say it again: Rejoice!" Lasting, eternal, ALWAYS joy will never be rooted in our circumstances. Jesus is the only true source of REAL JOY! Because of Him, we celebrate in all circumstances - who He is, what He has done, and what He will do! 

In difficult circumstances, you may feel far from God, but no matter how alone you feel, remember - Jesus is near! He knows your fears and your future, and He holds your heart for eternity! Jesus is near you - He is right here waiting for you to give Him your burdens. He wants you to trust Him in every circumstance. Jesus is coming again to claim victory over all things! He reigns! You can rejoice knowing that HE is in control!

When you start to lose sight of your reason to rejoice, Jesus simply wants you to turn to Him. He is waiting for you to share what is weighing heavy. So, share your struggles and leave your worries at the feet of Jesus. Your broken relationships, your anxious thoughts, your uncertain future, when you have trouble trusting in God's provision and promises – bring it all to God in prayer. He is faithful and trustworthy! When we hand over our anxieties, He takes the burdens from our hearts and minds; when we trust Him with the hard things, He gives us peace. We can lift our prayers in thanksgiving because, through prayer, Jesus has given us yet another reminder of why our joy is in the Lord!

And as we enter into the presence of God in prayer and thanksgiving, He does something incredible - God gives us His perfect peace to guard our hearts and minds. We may not be able to fully EXPLAIN the peace He gives us, but we can EXPERIENCE it. When we rejoice in Jesus, His presence, and His power through prayer, the peace of God guards our hearts and minds and protects our attitudes and choices from attack. It's through this peace that we can be known for our gentleness and graciousness as followers of Christ. What a way to honor the Lord through our prayers! What an impact we can make on those around us by choosing to remember the source of our joy! When we surrender to God and trust in His plans, we are choosing joy over and over again!

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• What are some things that bring you joy?
• After you spend time in God's Word, do you notice a difference in your heart and mind?
• Take a moment to write down worries that you have been carrying that you need to cast on the Lord.
• Now, make a list of gratitude. Thank God and rejoice in Him!

Family Devo: Philippians 4:4-7  

By: Nichole McCardle 

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.     

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset    

Head

• What instructions are we given from this passage?  

Heart

• When we are worried and anxious, we sometimes try to deal with our problems ourselves rather than relying on God. God does not intend for us to carry our burdens alone. How does verse 6 teach us to rely on God when we are worried and anxious?  
  

Hands

• Has God ever taken any worries or burdens from your heart? How can you share that with a friend, so that you can teach them that they too can rely on God’s grace and His ability to help?  
  

Prayer: God, thank You for Your unconditional love and peace. Thank You for being near to us. Thank You for guarding my heart and mind. God, help me to trust in You, and to bring all my worries to You. Amen.