Tonight I preached on Joy. It’s everywhere this Christmas. Looking in my living room We have a throw pillow, sign, and an ornament with the word “Joy” written on it. I even have a light up sign on our front porch as well (see the picture!). Holidays should be about…Joy!

But sometimes the Christmas season is not. People spend to much. Parents are out working overtime for presents while kids are neglected at home. People are standing in long lines at the grocery store to get the items for that special party…all seven of them. Parking is a premium at every destination. And the traffic…yeah. It also can be very lonely when every hallmark movie involves a family getting together while you have experienced a loss in real life.

Israel experience some rough times too. Habakkuk captured this. “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in the God of my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength: He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-18.

The Babylonian invasion took everything: their food, shelter, future, and hope. We are talking total devastation. But…it didn’t take their joy! That is the goal we should have in our life and in our faith.

Don’t let your outside surroundings and circumstances take away from your Joy. Know where your Joy is anchored and thrive on that. This holiday season look past the temporary upsets and instead draw close to the source of all Joy and that is Jesus!

You got this, because He has this!