Joy All Day Long
Did you know that the word “joy” or “rejoice” appears in the Bible 165 times? As we continue extending our Easter joy, spend some time this week incorporating joy into the beginning, middle, and end of your day!
At the beginning of the day, gather your family together and read one of the MANY scripture passages about joy. You’d have a decently easy time of it just flipping to a random page and looking for the word “joy” or “rejoice,” but you might also check out this list of 100 passages about joy compiled by the folks at Open Bible. Choose a passage, find it in your Bible, and start off your day with joy.
Then, in the middle of the day, stop and reflect. Your family might be separate during this time, which is okay, because you’ll do this one individually. Spend a full minute reflecting on something that brings you joy, thinking about that thing and what about it sparks joy in you. Perhaps you have an AMAZING dog who brings a smile to your face whenever you think about him. You might spend your minute thinking about the little pitter patter dance he does when you get home from work, and the way he always runs out of and back into the house like the Kool-Aid man every time you open the door to let him out.
If you don’t have a dog like that, but the above description made you smile, you can still use it during your minute! Consider setting an alarm if you need a reminder to take this time, or choose an easy-to-remember time to do it, like during your lunch break, or during the car ride home from work or school.
At the end of the day, come back together to share your joy as a family. Give each person a turn to share something that brought them joy that day. It might be the thing they reflected on earlier, or it might be something that happened during the day. You can incorporate this into your evening prayers if that’s a part of your family’s routine, but it can also be its own thing.
As the week goes on, see if this focus on joy changes the way you approach the day. Maybe noticing and sharing your joy will help you find more of it. We sure hope so! And if you need someone to share your joy with, share it with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
