With Easter upon us we should be feeling pretty joyous. After all things don't get much more jubilant than the resurrection of Jesus Christ! But while this is a joyful time of year, it's not always easy to muster up that joy if you're weighed down with personal sorrows or practical concerns, or if you're feeling alone. So to help you get into the Easter spirit you might want to turn to the Good Book for a heart lift.
The Bible is actually full of references to joy and happiness. In James 1:2-4 we are invited to consider the benefits of experiencing the trials and tribulations that come our way:
Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And John 6:16-20 reassures us that while we may suffer, the rewards in the end will be worth it: Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
And of course, we are also reminded of the joy we will feel the closer we get to God and follow His will in our lives:
Now, children, listen to me;
happy are they who keep my ways.
Listen to instruction and grow wise,
do not reject it!
Happy the one who listens to me,
attending daily at my gates,
keeping watch at my doorposts;
For whoever finds me finds life,
and wins favor from the LORD (Proverbs 8:32-35)
So while things may look bleak, remember there's always light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to follow the path to get there. To help you on your way, consider this short but powerful passage:
Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy. (Psalms 126:5)
