The Bible deals with a lot of tough (and sad!) topics, from the entrance of sin in the book of Genesis to the laments of the prophets in the Old Testament. But throughout Scripture, we also see glimpses of joy—a level of pure happiness that transcends any words we would try to use to describe it.

Sometimes this joy causes people to dance. Other times it leaves the people in the story (and often the readers) speechless. All of the time, the joy is in response to a gift from God. And at moments when it is hard to find joy in the midst of our own daily lives and routines, these passages in Scripture can serve as a reminder that God is good. And that is cause for great joy.

1. Joseph is reunited with his brothers.
   The book of Genesis tells the story of Joseph—the favorite of Jacob’s 12 sons. Although his father gave special treatment to Joseph, his brothers resented the special treatment that Joseph received. So they sold him as a slave and told their father that Joseph was dead. But after many years Joseph and his brothers were reunited. Joseph forgave his brothers, saved his whole family from starvation during a famine and celebrated the joy of being restored to his family.
   Read the whole story in Genesis 43-45.
2. David dances before the Lord.
   When the ark of the Covenant came to Jerusalem, there was a celebration of harps, lyres and percussion instruments. People sang and sacrifices were offered. But David also danced. He danced jubilantly to celebrate the ark, which signified God’s presence. His wife, Michal, criticized him for his display of joy, but David told her that his dancing was to honor the Lord.
   Read the whole story in 2 Samuel 6.
3. A father’s son returns home.
   The story of the prodigal son is one of the most popular parables in the New Testament. But don’t let the familiarity of the story cause you to miss the joy of the father when his son returns. The father literally runs to embrace his son. The father explains to his older son, “We had to celebrate and be happy, because your brother was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found’” (Luke 15:32, GNTD). And that is a cause for real joy.
   Read the whole story in Luke 15.
4. The author of Revelation sees a new heaven and a new earth.
   The book of Revelation was written to a church that knew pain and persecution. So when the author finishes the book with a description of what the kingdom of God will look like, there was much cause for celebration. The author describes a place where there will be no more grief or crying or pain. All this because God’s home will be with his people. The waiting is over. The time for joy has come.
   Read the whole story in Revelation 21.