Paul reminded the Christians at Philippi to rejoice in the Lord. The message is the same for us today, but we live in a difficult world with real battles, and “the thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy” (Jn 10:10).The primary thing he wants to steal is the joy in our hearts. In order to arm ourselves against this thief, we must recognize that happiness is not the same as joy. Happiness is a direct result of what happen in our lives, whereas joy comes as a result of trusting that God has everything under control.

The Bible tells us that when we acknowledge Christ and trust in Him, we’ll experience a peace that surpasses all understanding. God knows what we need. He guides our steps, our happiness, and our joy, despite what the world and our trials try to tell us. God uses trials to grow our faith and to strengthen our trust in Him.

The Apostle John also tells us that Jesus came in order for us to have life, and to have it in abundance. In fact, He offered His own life in death so that we might live each day fully and abundantly with Him. That abundance is not about material profit; rather, it is found in the joy that comes from knowing that God loves us and will use each experience for His purposes.

Athletics are filled with emotion. Excitement, enthusiasm, disappointment, happiness, and joy are all part of the competitive experience. No matter what we may feel, we must believe that God is trustworthy and faithful. When we do, we can join Paul in rejoicing in the Lord always and our hearts will be filled with a fullness that no thief can ever steal.