Rejoice in the Lord

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my Salvation." Habakkuk 3:18
God created each of us with the ability to laugh, and to have and NEED joy in our lives. I have been what I would call "joy challenged" for much of my walk with God. To me, joy is something deep inside that almost bubbles up out of us like a fountain. It stems from a deep belief and trust in Christ..that knowing in your heart, that you are loved, that God cares, that you are saved, that God will be with you in every situation. The longer I have walked with God, the more solid those beliefs have become in my heart...and the more joy has come. Proverbs 17:22 says "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" There is actually some type of healing quality to joyfulness. I have experienced this in my own life. Jesus wants to fill our hearts with HIS gladness. He wants us to EXPERIENCE His joy.
I think that joy depends on how you view life. Today, if you find yourself being "joy challenged", ask God to help you to see Him in every situation. Ask Him to help you to see the lighter side of things. Ask Him to continue to build a trust for Him in your heart that cannot be destroyed by life's challenges. Ask Him to help you to rejoice in your salvation..and in the fact that He IS the Lord of your life. Meditate on the fact that "a merry heart does good, like a medicine"..Invite God into every area of your life. You are so important to Him. Today, may each of you be FILLED with a heart of joy.