Christmas Devotional: Joy to the World
- Ashley Qurollo
- Dec 22, 2025
- 3 min read
December 22, 2025
What makes you happy?
I love seeing beautiful flowers grow in my garden. That makes me happy.
I love writing a new piece of music and then playing it on my piano (or violin). That makes me happy.
I love living daily life with my family. That makes me happy.
Happiness is a wonderful thing, but the one sad thing about happiness is that it is usually based on a happening—something that happens and then goes. Happiness can come and go, and those that always seek to be happy often come up short.
Joy is different than happiness. Joy sticks around longer than happiness, and in fact, joy has little to do with what is happening in our lives.
Joy is that beautiful fruit that grows out of a life lived walking with the Lord. Joy comes when we give our hearts to God and say, “Yes, Lord,” and allow His Holy Spirit to lead us. It’s like letting God take us by the hand and lead us instead of running ahead in our own ways.
We can be joyful even on rainy days. We can be joyful even in the tough moments of life. We can be joyful even when life doesn’t go our way.
So who brought this joy to the world? Well, an angel told some fearful shepherds to stop being afraid because he had some wonderful news to share:
Lu 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
The angel wanted the shepherds to stop being afraid and go find this new, wonderful Joy. You see—Joy was all wrapped up in swaddling clothes in the form of a tiny baby, the Lord Jesus Christ. He himself was the message of great joy because He would offer the free gift of salvation to all people.
Isa 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
While the joyful news of eternal salvation ought to be enough to fill our hearts with joy every day, the joy with Jesus doesn’t stop there. Not only can we be joyful in our future eternal salvation, but we can be joyful right here, right now in our daily lives.
Jesus wants to give us joy as we obey Him and follow His leading. Jesus wants His joy to stay in our hearts as we continually walk with Him, and He doesn’t just want to give a little joy. Jesus wants our joy in Him to be full.
Joh 15:10-11 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
What does joy do for us? Joy gives us strength. When we choose to rejoice in God, He gives us strength to do what seems so very hard in our own strength. Joy helps us to focus on all the goodness in our lives and not wallow in the negative.
Ne 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.