Prayer For Joy In Life

A Prayer for the Joy of the Lord to Fill Our Lives

• Debbie McDaniel
• 2019May 15

If you’ve ever found yourself facing hard times, one thing you may know to be true: difficult seasons will often seek to drive our joy and happiness far away. But it’s also there, right in the tough places, where we can learn this important truth too, which gives us the perseverance to keep pressing through.

True joy is never dependent on our circumstances, it is from the Lord. 

Joy is a choice. It’s not something we can just drum up on our own, or try to put on a fake, happy face, pretending everything is OK when we struggle to just get through. It’s far more than that.

It’s authentic. It’s real. And it’s powerful. The Bible is clear that we need to “choose” to have joy during seasons of difficulty. It reminds us that the “joy of the Lord is our strength.

” (Nehemiah 8:10)

If we’re needing that extra power boost of strength in our day, His joy within us will help us walk in confidence and truth, not held back in fear or worry. The Lord is faithful to help us and there are far greater things still ahead. He gives us the power to live strong. He gives wisdom and discernment to make the right choices. He plants joy deep inside.

He offers the assurance, that no matter what we face, He is with us. And because of those truths, we can recognize who is at the root of every battle with discouragement and defeat. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy by listening to his lies. Step over his traps, focus on the truth of God’s word.

God desires that we live free, filled with His Mighty Spirit, stepping right over every obstacle of the enemy.

We might be facing the toughest of times now, but the truth is, if God has given us breath for today, then He still has great purpose for our lives and promises to bring good through whatever we walk through.

He’s the very reason we can live with joy in the battles, and have peace that is unexplainable to the world.

Let’s choose to look to Him this morning, thankful for the gift of today, asking Him to fill us afresh with His hope and true joy.

A Prayer for the Joy of the Lord: 

Dear God,

We confess our need for you, for your Spirit to fill our lives afresh with great joy and strength. The hard times can often leave us feeling dry and defeated. We’ve been weary and burdened. We’ve struggled through for so long, it’s hard to see light at the end of the tunnel anymore.

Would you please give us a glimpse of your goodness again, reminding us that you have never left us and that you have promised to see us through. Thank you for your faithfulness Lord. Forgive us for not trusting you, for buying into the lies of the enemy, and not focusing on what we know to be true from your word.

Breathe your joy and peace into our lives again, cover us in the shadow of your wings, shine the light of your truth over us.

At the start of each day, help us to recognize you above all else. Enlighten the eyes of our heart that we might see you and notice how you're at work through our lives. Give us wisdom to make the best choices, fill us with a desire to seek after you more than anything else.

Please allow your Spirit and power to work mightily within us, through us, again, fresh and new. Thank you that you are greater than anything we may face in our day, or in these difficult seasons.

Thank you that your presence goes with us, and that your joy is never dependent on our circumstances; but it is our true and lasting strength, no matter what we might be up against in this world. We ask that your Spirit lead us, that your peace would guard our hearts and minds in you.

We ask for your grace to cover our lives, and that you would bring us through every dark season with your joy and favor.

We love you Lord. We need you today, and always.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

15 Verses on Finding True Joy in the Lord – He promises to give us joy because:

His joy is where our strength is found:

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Jesus came to give us abundant life:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

His Spirit fills us with real hope and joy:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Even in our hardest times, He gives us the power to choose joy:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2

God’s blessing, joy, and presence are with us always:

“For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.” Psalm 21:6

Every day is a gift from His hand:

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

No matter the trials we’ve faced, God will again restore laughter and joy:

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.” Job 8:21

His peace and joy will carry us through:

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12

We can choose to find joy in Him, for He will bring us through every difficulty:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

The very fruit of God’s Spirit is joy:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23

The reality of Christ’s love for us and the hope He offers, gives us everlasting joy that the world can’t understand:

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,” 1 Peter 1:8

God knows how healthy joy is forour lives and He will bring healing to our hearts:

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

He is able to restore our joy again:

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

Even after the darkest times, joy comes back:

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning…” Psalm 30:5

He is faithful to see us through seasons of difficulty and pain, and will fill us with shouts of joy:

“He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6

We have a choice every day of who we listen to and what we believe. We have a choice of what we will do with joy. May God help us to live wisely and to allow the light of His powerful joy and strength to shine through our lives in every season.

Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor's wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of pets). Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead's  page, for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. Find her also on  and at her blog www.debbiemcdaniel.com.

This article is part of our Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

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C.S. Lewis, Joy, and Persistent Prayer: Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

by Deacon Nick · October 16, 2016

Victory O Lord! by John Everett Millais, 1871

The dramatic scene from the first reading,with Moses raising the staff of God during battle,and Joshua mowing down Amalek,

almost feels a scene from The Lord of the Rings.

But it’s not Tolkien that I find most helpful in breaking open today’s scripture,

but rather one of his best friends, C.S. Lewis.

Lewis, as many of you know,was the author of the Narnia series,that wonderful set of books about Aslan, Prince Caspian,

and the magical world on the other side of the wardrobe.

Lewis got married late in life,when he was fifty-eight years old, in fact,to a woman named Joy Davidman, who was forty-one.

After being a bachelor all his life,Lewis’ relationship with Joy transformed him into a better man,a man he didn’t know he could be.This is what all deep relationships do.

They challenge us, they reflect us back to ourselvesso we can see who we are and who we are becoming.They stretch us and open us up to new possibilities.

Deep relationships transform us.

And this is what prayer does,because prayer is our relationship with God.In prayer we encounter God

and are transformed.

But as today’s readings remind usthat can only happen if we pray always,without growing weary.

Today’s readings are about perseverance in prayer.

Moses persevered in keeping his hands raised up,and so Amalek was defeated.The letter to Timothy says,“be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient.”And in the gospel the widow’s perseverance

moves the judge to give her justice.

What these readings illustrate is that prayer, any deep relationship,takes time and faith,

and doesn’t always feel good.

Prayer Takes Time

Earlier in the gospel of Luke,Jesus tells us to seek and we will find,knock and the door will be opened.But he doesn’t say how long we’ll have to search,

or how hard we’ll have to knock.

Moses had to hold his arms up for hours,from dawn to dusk.The widow had to keep bothering the judge day after day.

Sometimes it takes years before we see the fruit of our prayers.

How many prayers were said in cotton fieldsbefore slavery was outlawed in this country?How many people prayed for an end to World War I or World War IIor the Vietnam War, before we had peace?How long will we have to pray for abortion to end, or poverty,

or the crisis in the middle east?

Prayer takes time.

There was once a gathering of people who had come togetherto fight oppression and injustice.The elderly minister who was to lead them in prayerchose this gospel of the widow and the unjust judge.After reading it to them he interpreted it in one sentence:“Unless you have stood for years knocking at a locked door,

your knuckles bleeding, you do not really know what prayer is.”

That vivid image gets to the heart of prayer.Not only do you stand at the door for years,

but it also hurts to keep knocking.

Prayer Doesn’t Always Feel Good

Prayer doesn’t always feel good.Moses got tired and had to sit on a rockwhile Aaron and Hur helped him hold his arms up.The widow broke social conventions by speaking on her own behalf,facing scorn and rejection.

Prayer can be uncomfortable and painful.

It can be difficult to wake up early and spend time with Scripture,in conversation with God,especially when we have so much to accomplish during the day.

Pray can often feel dry and fruitless.

And it hurts when our prayers don’t seem to be answered.

Prayer Takes Faith

But prayer is about being persistenteven when we don’t get what we’ve asked for.This is the meaning of Jesus’ final question:“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”In other words, will he find people of prayer?It takes faith to engage in the long work of prayer.But it is the long work of prayer that makes all the difference.Faith is the engine that drives prayer,

especially when our prayers don’t seem to be answered.

“It would be a mistake to think…that if we pray hard enoughwe’re going to get what we want every time.We know from human experience that that’s not the case.And that’s okay…there are other graces associated with persistence

besides getting what we ask for.”1

The Prayer of Jesus

And when we are tempted to lose heart,when we grow weary of praying,we can be encouraged by Jesus’ own prayer life,

seen most especially in the Gospel of Luke.

“In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is truly a person of prayer.He prays at all the decisive moments in his life:he prays at his baptism (3:21);[he prays] before he chooses the Twelve (6:12);His disciples see him at prayerand ask that he teach them how to pray (11:1-4).Finally, two parables are devoted to the theme of prayer:the friend who comes at midnight (11:5-13)and [today’s parable of the] widow

who beseeches the judge for justice (18:1-8).”2

But perhaps the scene that is most vivid to usis Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane,where he asks, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me;

still, not my will but yours be done.”

Some ancients texts, in describing this scene, say:“He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently

that his sweat became drops of blood falling on the ground (22:44).”

That is prayer.

And yet, Jesus did drink the cup of suffering.
He did go through passion and death.It was his Father’s will.Jesus has faith that his Father hears his prayer,but he also understands

that sometimes the Father’s will is different than our own.

But whether our prayers are answered or not,
they do transform us.

C.S. Lewis understood this well.Shortly after he and Joy married,she was diagnosed with cancer.They only got spend for years together

as husband and wife.

And while Joy was sick,he, of course, prayed for her recovery.

The movie Shadowlands dramatizes their relationship,

and there is one scene in which a friend of Lewisasks him how Joy is doing.“Good news, I think,” says Lewis.His friend says,“I know how hard you have been praying,and now God is answering your prayer.”Lewis replies,“That’s not why I pray.I pray because I can’t help myself.I pray because I’m helpless.I pray because the need flows me all the time – waking and sleeping.

It doesn’t change God — it changes me.”

Persistent prayer is prayer than changes us.Persistent prayer is transformational.It isn’t necessarily immediate.It doesn’t necessarily feel good.

And it requires and faith.

But just as C.S. Lewis met Joy late in lifeand was transformed by their relationship,it is never too late for us to begin our prayer life anew,

to renew our personal relationship with God.

——————————————————-

1. Sr. Melannie Svoboda, “The Grace of Persistence,” in Give Us This Day, October 2016.
2. Fr. Thomas Rosica, “God Will Vindicate His Chosen Ones,” Salt and Light Media, October 10, 2016.
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Prayers of Joy

Prayers of Joy,

Expressions of Jubilance,

and

Silly Stuff

~

Welcome to all those who feel silly happy and

those who want to feel silly happy!

~

My Lord,

You are my exceeding joy!

Psalm 43:4

Celebrating the Wonders of God

We begin with a prayer

Celebrating

The Wonders of God.

Dear Lord,

I praise you for you are an Amazing Artist.
You are the Master Painter of our World.

From your palette, you brushed the world with splashes of forest green, sky blue, and sunny yellow.

You created lush jungles of jade and arid deserts of gold.

You formed majestic mountains, and then you took scoops of brilliant white snow and topped their peaks.

You shaped multi-layered canyons and adorned them with copper-colored hues.

Your exquisite creation is vibrant and full of variety.

Joy and thankfulness rise in me as I meditate on the beauty of your world.

Amen

Copyright © 2013 Beth Mc Lendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

Celebrating Silly

It is good to 

Giggle

and be

JOYFUL

Overheard Girl Talk:

“Exercise? The only reason

I came with you this morning

was because I thought

you said we were going to,

'Accessorize!'”

Overheard comment:

Do you want to know how I deal with bumper to bumpertraffic?

I open my glove compartment and get out my bubbles.

Then I lowermy window and blow a few bubbles out my window.

How can I stay upset whilesilly bubbles are blowing across the highway?

William Shakespeare Humor

Humor Billy Shakespeare!

Beth McLendon's son is very witty:

My son was studying William Shakespeare in school.

One day he came to me and said,

Mom, I can sum up all of William Shakespeare's

plays into one: 

Much Ado About Nothing!

~

William Shakespeare is famous for saying:

“To thine own self be true.”

–

That is a nice saying,

but I think his wife would prefer

something a little different.

I'll explain below…

After telling my friend, Linda, about a

Spectacular Shoe Shopping Spree that I had  –

I received a birthday card from Linda.

William Shakespeare was on the front, and inside it said:

To thine own self give shoes.

What great advice!

Do I hear an “amen” from the women?

Question:

What shoe is the most fun shoe?

Answer:

Flip flops

They are the slap-happy shoes !

From Walking in the Spirit by Patsy Clairmont

Beth says,

“I to pitter, patter, and putter in my flip flops!”

O God, in mercy bless us;
let your face beam with joy as you look down at us.

Psalm 67:1 TLB

~

How the nations will be singing for joy
because you are their King.

Psalm 67:4 TLB

Celebrating Childhood

Jesus loves the little children!

Prayers of Joy presents a prayer to celebrate childhood.

Dear Lord,

You are amazing.

You varied the trunks of trees to become footholds for little lads.

You made strong tree branches that reach out to support sturdy swings.

You think ahead and provide all we need.

You are our provider of everything.

Amen

Copyright 2005 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

Celebrating Nature

Caught any Lightning Bugs lately?

It sure is fun to catch lightning bugs and

put them in a jar with small holes for air.

Then set them free after an hour or two.

_

Would you to read our

Delightful Devotion about

Lightning Bugs?

___

What did you used to do as a child

that might still be kinda fun?

~

Water pistols anyone?

~

Are you brave enough to be silly?

~

Hey, if you're married,why not go out and buy an ice cream cone…..and share it!-

Then  – Take a walk around your neighborhood, and enjoy the amazing world God made, and choose to look so in-love that you make everyone who sees you

Envious!!

__

Enjoy whatever God has given you!

__

Here are folks who had a Beary Friendly Day.

Need more help around the house?

Consider this!

Are you getting motivated to lift up your own

prayers of joy

to your fun-loving Heavenly Father?

–

God created fun

and

God created laughter.

Celebrating Truth

Have a Problem?

Sometimes you just need a manual.

In 2016, I suggest we need an

e-manual.

~ ~

We have e-books.

We have e-commerce.

But what we really need is an

Emmanuel!

Have you ever searched for a manual

to help you fix  a problem?

Even before looking for a manual, the first place

we should look is to

Emmanuel

Jesus is called “Emmanuel” which means “God with us.”

My Lord,

In your presence is fullness of joy!

Psalm 16:11  NKJV

Celebrating Joy

Let your joy show for all the world to see!

–

Shouts of Joy and Victory resound in the tents of the Righteous of the Lord.

Psalm 118:15 NIV

–

Celebrate the joy in your heart with little ones.

If you are a parent or grandparent, consider teaching your little ones

a silly, fun Bible song –  …..

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Down in my heart to stay.

I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart.

I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart to stay.

And I'm so happy. So very happy, happy, happy.

I have the love of Jesus in my heart, down in my heart.

And I'm so happy. So very happy, happy, happy.

I have the love of Jesus in my heart.

If you have forgotten how to have fun and be joyful,

consider allowing yourself to be a kid again.

There are many reasons why God tells us to come to him
as little children.

–

If you need help having fun,

watch kids.

They will teach you!

Consider signing up to work with the little kids at church!

To see a list of all our prayers, go to: Prayers For All Occasions

Thank you for visiting our Prayers of Joy page.

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