Ituturo mo ang landas na patungo sa buhay, sa piling mo’y madarama ang lubos na kagalakan; ang tulong mo’y nagdudulot ng ligayang walang hanggan.

Awit 16:11

A 2022 report from the National Center for Mental Health shows that loneliness and depression drastically increased from 80 per month to nearly 400. The data also shows that 1 in 10 young Filipino adults has moderate to severe depression. An alarming study presented by the National Statistics Office says that suicide rose by 57.3%. Nakakagulat ang mga datos na ito!

Ang hirap kasing maging masaya kung ang laman palagi ng balita ay war, rumors of war, price hike, natural and man-made calamities, joblessness, and the ongoing threat of COVID-19. Idagdag mo pa ‘yung mga naiisip mong personal struggles, health challenges, family problems, at financial constraints.

Sabi ni Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4, (ESV), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Interestingly, he wrote this epistle inside a Roman prison while he was in bad shape, severely beaten, and awaiting trial, pero nagawa pa niyang mang-encourage sa mga sinusulatan niya na maging masaya.

Joy is not removing pain, suffering, or problems; it is putting our hope and trust in God who can transform our circumstances for our benefit. Warren Wiersbe, defined joy as “An inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances.” True biblical joy comes only from the Lord; it is knowing and trusting Jesus completely regardless of our situations.