How to Have the Joy of the Lord: 7 Tips
It’s an unseasonably warm Thursday afternoon, aspen leaves covering the ground with a golden blanket. It’s as if they’ve absorbed every ounce of joy in life and put it on display for the world to see. I admire them as I consider how to have the joy of the Lord.
Ten minutes later, I rush through the aisles of the discount grocery store, filling my cart to the brim as other shoppers scurry to get in front of me. I’ve forgotten all about pursuing joy and think only about knocking out my to-do list for the day.
When the last loaf of bread is scanned and placed gently on top of my pile, I push the cart to the counter to bag my groceries.
I’m filling cloth bags to capacity when I hear her bubbly laugh behind me. There’s no mistaking that laugh.
As I glance over my shoulder, I see the normally weary eyes of the cashier dancing with life.
The contagious giggles come from a close friend—the most joy-filled woman I’ve ever met—and the little ray of sunshine she brings to the checkout line is quickly lighting up the entire storefront.
How to Have the Joy of the Lord
I smile to myself as I bag the groceries. My friend’s joy is contagious, and I wish I were a little more like my merry friend.
After a mood-boosting conversation with this friend at the bagging counter, I spend the drive home contemplating her joyful spirit. While we’re all wired differently, and while it’s more natural for some of us to be bubbly with strangers than it is for others, most of us could use greater joy.
As we’ve transitioned into life as a family of five this fall, I’ve been contemplating joy often. I’ve been learning what it means to live with joy that is unshaken.
How to Have the Joy of the Lord With 7 Simple Mindsets
Here are a few of the takeaways on how to have the joy of the Lord.
1. We have more joy in the Lord when we live with nothing to prove to others.
Those who have deep joy in life are people who have nothing to prove.
They’re not trying to look better than others. They don’t aim to be more articulate, assertive, knowledgeable, or beautiful than others. They simply embrace who they are and walk with confidence.
They’re free to live authentically, and living authentically is essential in cultivating a joyful countenance.
2. We experience the joy of the Lord by remembering that troubles are fleeting.
Everyone faces trials and frustrations in daily life. Dinners end up scorched, fender benders ruin entire weeks, children get sick, and careers come to abrupt halts.
I have lived this out this fall, as days were derailed by vomiting children, plans were shaken by the demands of life, and inconveniences marked the season.
May we remember that life is a marathon, not a sprint. Many of today’s struggles won’t even be remembered in two years. Keeping this in perspective keeps us on a path toward long-term fulfillment.
3. We cultivate joy in life when we practice contentment.
Nothing steals joy more quickly than wanting what we don’t have.
When we want our neighbor’s custom cabinets, our best friend’s wardrobe, or our boss’s salary, we naturally set ourselves up to struggle with joy. Learning to appreciate what I do have is the secret to living with gratitude.
Living with gratitude is essential to living with authentic joy.
4. We embrace God’s joy by speaking carefully.
Sometimes it feels good to “vent” about the friend who can’t keep a commitment or the coworker who can’t seem to get her life together. We mask our gossip under terms like “venting,” “stress relief,” or even “prayer requests.”
Lasting joy in life comes when we live lifestyles of speaking words that build others up, even when they’re not around. Speaking words that tear others down ultimately takes away from the joy in our own lives by shifting our focus to the negative.
5. We cultivate the joy of the Lord by releasing grudges.
Holding onto anger, bitterness, and resentment ultimately drains us of energy that would be better used elsewhere.
Deep joy in life comes when we refuse to hold onto negative emotions toward others. It comes when we discern when it’s time to confront issues and which issues are better left released – when we can proceed without clinging to ugly situations.
Forgiveness is most often more beneficial for the one who forgives than for the one who is forgiven.
Deep joy in life comes when we refuse to hold onto negative emotions toward others. #joy #JoyinJesus #JoyoftheLord Share on X6. We grow in the joy of the Lord by being generous.
Clinging to our time, possessions, and resources results in a posture of white-knuckled control. It’s impossible to live happily and freely with hands tightly clinging to anything at all.
Joyful people share their time with the hurting. They share their money with those who need it. They share their resources with those who are struggling and live generously.
7. We find joy when we learn to be comfortable in our skin.
A person who is rooted in joy can look in the mirror, notice the imperfections, and smile at the person in the glass. She knows her life is a work in progress, and she embraces the journey. She’s comfortable with her strengths and her weaknesses—inside and out.
She can walk into a crowded room and look for someone to love, not seeking someone who will love her. She lives to give and not receive.
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If these insights on how to have the joy of the Lord blessed you, I invite you to explore our devotionals and library of free eBooks below! Be blessed as you step into the joy of the Lord!
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here! 
Thank you to Emily P. Freeman for the encouragement to look back on the lessons from the season and encounter the heart of the Father in the process. This post is a part of her link-up on lessons from fall.
