Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. - Proverbs 3:13 (NLT)
It was a spring afternoon. I was in middle school, enjoying lunch with my friends, talking and laughing. I wrapped my retainer in a napkin for safekeeping. But in a forgetful moment, shortly after we finished our meal, I threw it in the trash. When I realized my mistake, I dashed back to the lunch room, only to discover that the garbage had already been taken out. In a panic, I began sorting through a half dozen garbage bags and eventually recovered my retainer.
With a similar tenacity, the writer of Proverbs urges us to search diligently for something far more precious-wisdom. In fact, our passage today declares that joy comes when we discover this wisdom.
Many people confuse joy with happiness, but there is a radical difference. Happiness is an outward response to good things that fluctuates with our circumstances. Joy is an inner response that remains steadfast no matter the situation.
The Holy Spirit gives an inner joy and peace that cannot be taken away. That's why joy is one of the Fruits of the Spirit. Why then does joy seem to elude some of us who genuinely love the Lord? Sometimes we just don't feel any joy, as though it has been lost.
Be encouraged today. Your joy is not lost, but it can be misplaced if your priorities get out of balance.
You see, joy is the inevitable result of our relationship with Christ. Jesus Himself prayed that His disciples might have this joy in John 17:13: “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.”
The Lord also desires for you and me to possess the full measure of His joy. Psalm 1:1-3 reveals the secret to capturing this joy: “Oh, the joys of those who … delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”
Do you see how it's all connected? We bear the fruit of joy as we read and meditate on the Word of God; and the Word of God, in turn, gives us wisdom.
My prayer is that we will be people who are full of joy, regardless of the season we find ourselves in, as we delight in discovering God's wisdom found in the pages of His Word.
Reflect and Respond:
- What's keeping you from experiencing joy in this season of life?
- Carve out 20 minutes today to meditate on God's Word. Ask God to give you wisdom.
