Philippians 4:4
4 Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy.
As exam season is strongly under way, we realise that it can be quite easy to feel like giving up. Can we really have joy when we feel like our marks are not what we want them to be? How do we keep our heads up when things look tough?
Maybe we don’t really understand what joy is. Most of us think that joy and happiness are the same thing. A meme can make us laugh and be happy, but can it really give us joy? Joy is different from happiness because joy is not a feeling, it is a character trait.
How can we be full of joy in the Lord during our exams? How can we have joy in the Lord when things seem to be going south? God tells us multiple times that he loves us and that he won’t leave us. We have joy because God is bigger than our worries and struggles. We have joy because we know God’s love.
Be full of joy!
Prayer: Dear God, you are so much more powerful and wise than I can ever understand. Help me please to know your presence and to understand that because of You I do not have to be afraid, but can have joy… Amen
Challenge: Take some time out every day to spend time with God in prayer (it’s best to schedule this, so you don’t back out). Just like spending time with a good friend can bring us much comfort, God also brings us peace and joy when we feel like giving up.
