Paul the Apostle often uses the words “joy”, “rejoice”, and other similar expressions. God has always wanted His people to rejoice and be happy. He tells us in His word what we need to be happy and He knows of what He speaks.

All of His commands are for our well being. God knows that we cannot have joy and peace of mind if we disobey His commands. Therefore when He forbids us to disobey His laws, it’s not because He wants to deprive us of things which are good for us, He is concerned about our well being.

And yet many people feel like the little boy who says, “This medicine ought to be good for me, it tastes so bad.” They believe that living according to God’s will brings no pleasure and that the things God prohibits really have the power to make us happy and joyful. Of course, this is false. God does not forbid anything that is good for us. He is concerned about our eternal happiness as well as our time here on earth. We should have confidence in God who does what is right and best for us!

If we could only be convinced of the fact that God wants us to be happy, and He knows what we need to achieve this, we would soon be on the pathway to joy and happiness. The God who created man knows the needs of man. His love towards us never changes. He is faithful and will never deceive us.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4