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Day Three: Joy

What is joy? When most people think of the word joy, they often think of happiness or good times. Joy seems to come along when we are making great memories with people, or not in the middle of troubled times. But is that really joy? The definition of joy that I like to use goes something like this: Joy is keeping a positive attitude even when everything else seems to be going downhill because there is something better out there than all the struggles and difficulties going on. It is easy to have joy in the good times, but Christians are called to have joy in the bad times as well. "To live is Christ, to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21). This is a popular verse that I think of when I think of difficult situations. In everything, whatever is going on it seems that 'at least we are alive'. No matter what Satan or the forces of this world try to do to us- even if they do choose to kill us, we know that they cannot take away our salvation (Romans 8:38-39). But, we can remember that even in death, it is gain for us as believers. We can remember that no matter what, God has a plan for what He is doing in our lives (Romans 8:28) and it will work for His good. These positive reminders should bring us joy and should give us hope. Even if whatever you are going through is not pleasant, remember to have joy. 

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