The psalmist said that God intends for us to "go from strength to strength" (Psalm 84:7), but sometimes when we're trying to get through a difficulty, we find that we're going from struggle to struggle. One day we're doing well, the next day we're struggling. I've found that what I'm believing about the difficulty I'm going through makes all the difference in the world on how I come out of the difficulty and what I learn through the difficulty.
If you're struggling today, what are you believing about the challenge? Are you believing you can't make it through it? No hope, and no faith, and no joy will arise from those kinds of thoughts. Or are you believing that "the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13)? Are you believing, "God, as I face this trial, I'm learning something. I'm not just going through it, I'm growing through it. I believe that I have all power to overcome and go from strength to strength because of Jesus Christ"?
Today, you need to hear this one word, "rest"—just rest in God's peace. Believe that "the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). Abide in His joy, for that's where you're going to find your strength to endure and find great perseverance. Don't let joy elude you. Don't think joy is happiness. We all want to be happy, and we all want things to be going our way, but happiness comes and goes. Joy abides in us and is a gift from Almighty God. Realize that the joy of the Lord is His calm delight. It's the rest in Him. It's the peace in Him.
Don't let the enemy steal your joy. Remember, it abides in you. It's God's gift that will take you from strength to strength.