“For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands, I sing for joy.” Psalm 92:4
Thousands of years ago, King Solomon observed, “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live…” (Ecclesiastes 3:12) Still today, we sing songs about happiness and take trips (physically and mentally) to our happy places. We look for joy in nature, each other, and various activities. Indeed, the pursuit of happiness is considered by many to be a natural, God-given right.
But how do we know happiness when our circumstances are dark and we feel sad? What do we do when we get the word that someone we love has died, our business has failed, our relationship is fractured, or our body is diseased?
At a very difficult time in his life and ministry, Paul wrote, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). And he gave the reason for his courage and hope amid difficult circumstances in 2 Corinthians 4:14, “because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.”
Friend, circumstances are not always happy, but when you know “the One who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead,” you can have never-ending joy. Dear friend, Jesus has worked mightily for you on the cross, and He is even now interceding for you before the throne of God. For this reason, you can look to Him and sing with joy whether your cupboards are full (Psalm 65:11), or you are facing the fight of your life (1 Timothy 6:12-13).