Happiness will be ours, joyfulness will be found, delight will be experienced, gladness will be within our reach when we chase God’s joy, His purpose, His encouragement, and His peace. Happy is captured when we chase Him.

We all have preferences in life. We’d prefer life to go a certain way. We’d prefer what we want, when we want it. We’d prefer that our prayers were answered the way we envisioned in the timing we imagined. But our preferences aren’t as important as God’s purpose.

Thankfully, the connection between believers isn’t something that will make you cringe, cry, or steal your joy. That’s because unity isn’t based on a thing, it’s based on the person of Jesus Christ. Being unified with Christ empowers us to be unified with others. And that will bring you joy.

Paul says—Listen! I know I’ve said it a bunch of times. Be joyful. Be glad. Be happy. But I’m just going to keep on saying it because it’s good for you to hear. So, here it is again: Rejoice in the Lord. This isn’t a onetime thing—go on constantly rejoicing.

The pathway from panic to peace is prayer. It’s extremely difficult for the closed-fist posture of worry, anxiety, and stress to coexist with the hands-raised posture of worship.

On one hand, you’ve got: I can do all things through Christ. And on the other hand: Apart from me you can do nothing. And they both hinge on Jesus. With Him, we can do all things, but without Him, we can’t do anything. Happiness is cultivated in contentment with the provision of God.