Posted on April 26, 2025 | Southern Asia Adventist Community Church Devotionals
Bible Verse
“...for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
— Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)
Ellen G. White Quote
“Christ was a man of sorrows, but He was not gloomy or cast down. The religion of Jesus gives peace like a river.”
— Steps to Christ, p. 124
Reflection
Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness can come and go depending on how our day goes but joy is rooted in something deeper: in knowing that God is with us and for us, no matter what.
In Nehemiah 8, the people had just returned from exile and were listening to the Word of God being read aloud. As they realized how far they had wandered from God, they wept. But Nehemiah told them, "Don’t mourn or weep… for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Their strength wasn't in their perfection, but in God's joy over their return.
Imagine a mother watching her child take their first steps. Even if the steps are wobbly, her face is full of joy not because the steps are perfect, but because her child is walking toward her. That’s how God sees us. He delights in our progress, not our perfection.
And even Jesus, though He was called “a man of sorrows,” lived with deep peace and joy. As Ellen White says, His presence brings “peace like a river.” That joy can carry us through sickness, struggle, and sorrow.
Joy doesn’t deny pain it overcomes it.
Let This Be Your Prayer Today
Father, give me strength that flows from Your joy. Help me to rise above circumstances and find my peace in knowing You. Let my life reflect the joy that only comes from walking with Jesus. In His name I pray, Amen.
