Multiply Joy  By Holly Roberts

The Power of Joy Multiplied

Joy was never meant to be elusive. Yet how often do we encounter someone who is filled with joy? When we do, we are magnetically drawn to them. We want what they have. But why does finding a person who is truly filled with joy feel more like an anomaly than an everyday occurrence?

Joy is seldom the first thing we think of when describing our outlook or that of others. Mounting pressures often seem to overtake joy. We face pressures at work and at home. The state of the world changes so rapidly that we are left spinning. There are many reasons why true joy seems hard to find.

Is this what God intended? Surely He has a better way. God meant for joy to be the Christian’s trademark. The ebb and flow of circumstances does not regulate the kind of joy God has designed for His children. Have you met someone who remains filled with joy through good times and bad? If so, you have found someone who has discovered the only true source and supply of genuine joy.

Inexhaustible Joy

I cannot take credit for the phrase “inexhaustible joy.” One of my coworkers often speaks of inexhaustible joy. What if I told you an inexhaustible amount of joy is available to you? Joy comes in an endless supply and cannot run out. Others can’t steal it. Joy that flows lavishly into your life in the right way and in the right moments. What would it be like to have an endless supply of joy?

True inexhaustible joy comes from God, whose infinite resources cannot be depleted. Only God can be the inexhaustible source and supply of joy we crave. God dwells in a place of strength and joy. Fullness of joy is found in His presence. The joy that God supplies carries the resiliency of His character and the certainty of His promises. God calls forth songs of joy in His children, even in dark times.

Why can we rejoice? Because God is our God. Around the time of Jesus’s birth, angels appeared to the shepherds, announcing good news that would bring great joy to all people. What was the source of this joy? The birth of a savior, Jesus, in the town of David. So who is the source and supplier of inexhaustible joy? God Himself. The kind of joy God supplies cannot be overruled by hard times. God’s brand of joy triumphs over anything life brings. Jesus came as Immanuel, God with us. And when He came, He brought joy to the world. Why then do we still grieve?

Transformed into Joy

The joy God supplies does not eliminate suffering or require you to ignore your pain. We grieve, weep, and mourn. But joy can abound even in our pain because of what God promises. By His grace and through His power, God transforms the Christian’s pain into something fruitful. We experience His presence. We recognize His tender care. He lifts our heads to see a bright future, even as we navigate today’s sorrow.

A Christian’s joy is rooted in hope. We rest, not on flimsy platitudes, but in confident assurance. We can count our trials, no matter how severe, as pure joy because of God’s purifying purposes in our pain. How can this be? Believers do not muster the strength to be joyful. Instead, the Holy Spirit brings confident joy as a fruit of God’s abiding presence. And this kind of confident joy can be multiplied.

Multiplied Joy

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The best way to multiply joy is to invite people into the presence of the Lord. Only God makes known the path of life. Only He can fill us with joy in His presence.

BSF’s vision is to magnify God and mature His people. The goal is the same whether you are in a BSF group or a WordGo group.

We desire to take you deeper in studying the Bible. Join us as we come into the presence of God Himself, the source and supplier of joy.

We would love for you to join one of our groups. Let’s study God’s Word to know God, together. It’s only by knowing God that we can find the kind of joy that steadfastly buoys us through life’s journey.

Hollie Roberts assumed the Executive Director role in September 2021, after serving as Bible Study Fellowship’s Chief Field Development Officer. For over 65 years, Bible Study Fellowship has taught and trained people to read and understand the Word of God for themselves. BSF offers a trusted and engaging approach to Bible study suitable for all levels of Bible knowledge.