Discover how to find lasting joy this Christmas and every day. Learn the biblical definition of joy, practical ways to embrace it, and how to look beyond the season’s challenges to the true source of joy—God’s presence and grace.

In a world filled with pain, uncertainty, and overwhelming challenges, how do we find joy? It feels almost impossible in moments when our hearts are torn open by grief, violence, or loss. For many, this has been a year of upheaval—natural disasters, economic concerns, personal losses, and fractured relationships. Joy can feel like an elusive treasure, hidden beneath the weight of it all.

Yet, joy is more than fleeting happiness or momentary relief. Joy is deeper than circumstances. It has the remarkable ability to pierce through pain, rising above our conditions and offering us something eternal and unshakable.

What is Joy? A Biblical Definition

Biblically, joy is a deep, abiding sense of delight and confidence rooted in God’s character and promises, not in our circumstances. The Greek word chara (χαρά) conveys a sense of gladness that stems from our relationship with God—knowing who He is, what He has done, and what He promises to do.

• Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), a gift that grows in our lives as we walk with God.
• Joy is strength for our souls (Nehemiah 8:10), sustaining us when life feels overwhelming.
• Joy is found in God’s presence: “In Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).

This means that joy is not dependent on gifts, success, or even peace. True joy flows from knowing and trusting God, the source of all good things.

Joy Beyond the Season

December is filled with activities that bring joy: decorating trees, exchanging gifts, and cherishing traditions with loved ones. These are beautiful ways to celebrate, but they’re not the source of lasting joy.

We put heart into the gifts we give, hoping to wrap up a little piece of joy along with the gift. We look forward to the joy of giving and receiving as gifts begin to pile under the tree.  All good…but there is more.

Worship Tip: Look Beyond

Take a moment to reflect on the blessings that bring you joy. Maybe it’s your family, your job, your home, or your health. Today, let’s stretch our hearts out of the business of the day, and look beyond the gifts that bring us joy. Too often we are satisfied with the joy of God’s blessings, rather than the joy of knowing our God who gives.

Look through the gifts that bring delight, for our blessings are windows into the heart of the One who is joy.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” – James 1:17

Here’s the key: look beyond the gifts to the Giver.

• What do our blessings and gifts reveal about God’s character?
• How does your joy in those blessings point to a deeper joy found in God Himself?

For example: I find great joy in my family. But when I look beyond the blessing of my family, I see the heart of God—the ultimate Father who creates, nurtures, and loves without condition. My family reflects His design for relationships and His faithfulness in providing for me.

Joy deepens when we recognize that every blessing points to the character of the Giver. Even in seasons of loss or challenge, we can see glimpses of God’s goodness if we intentionally look for them.

Worship Challenge: Embrace Joy

Here are a few practical ways to embrace joy this Christmas season and every day. Which one of these joy-starters is God drawing your attention to today? Choose one for your worship today.

1. Find Joy in God’s Presence

Set aside a quiet moment today to sit in God’s presence. Read Psalm 16:11 aloud:
“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
Ask God to fill your heart with His joy, regardless of your circumstances.

2. Reframe Your Blessings

1. Think of a blessing that brings you happiness—family, friends, health, or even a favorite tradition. Look beyond the gift to the heart of the Giver. Now ask, “What does this blessing reveal about God?” Write down or speak out loud what you discover about His nature through this gift.

3. Celebrate Small Joys

Sometimes we miss joy because we’re looking for something big. Instead, celebrate the small glimpses of God’s goodness: a kind word, a beautiful sunset, or a moment of peace.

4. Bring Joy to Others

One of the quickest ways to experience joy is to share it. Do something kind or unexpected for someone else—a note of encouragement, a small gift, or even just a phone call to check in. Joy grows when it is shared.

Verses to Anchor Your Joy

As you meditate on the joy God offers, let these Scriptures lead your heart:

• Psalm 43:3-5: “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.”
• John 15:11: “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
• Nehemiah 8:10: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Joy is not the absence of hardship but the presence of God during it. As we seek Him, may we find joy that transcends every season and every circumstance. Let the true joy of Christmas—the joy of knowing Christ—fill your heart today.

See you tomorrow for the next step in the Christmas Worship Challenge!

Let this powerful celebration spark your joyful worship today.

Your Worship Challenge Roadmap

1. Worship Like a Wise Man
2. The Glory of Christ
3. Both Child and Mighty God
4. Four Ways to Love God
5. God With Us
6. Two Ways to Exalt Christ This Christmas
7. A God who Speaks
8. Let Beauty Spark Your Worship Today
9. Make it Beautiful
10. Give God Glory: Put on You’re Dancing Shoes
11. A Lesson From the Christmas Shepherds
12. Make it Known: Another Lesson from the Shepherds
13. Treasuring and Pondering: Meditation of the Heart
14. Fullness of Grace: The Divine Multiplier
15. How to Find Joy
16. Worship by Giving the Gift of Prayer
17. Believing God: The Rest of Peace
18. Break Out of Your Worship Rut
19. Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child
20. The Worship of Gratitude
21. Celebrate Christmas: Give God the Gift of Yourself
22. Why You Should Sing in the New Year with a New Song
23. We Don’t Worship Alone
24.  Practical Tips to Deepen Your Worship Now
25.  More Tips to Deepen Your Worship Now
26. Worship You Don’t Want to Miss