Joy

The Joy which comes to us as a result of the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ is much more than happiness. I always think of happiness or being happy as due to the happenings around us; but with joy, we can be joyful even when our heart is breaking.

Jesus said in John 15:11 that He wants His ‘joy’ to be in us; and in Nehemiah 8:10 "The Joy of the Lord is our strength."

Joy also is an ‘Attitude’ of the heart. When circumstances are tough, our happiness will cease, but we can still have joy. Our relationship with God is the foundation of our joy, it can be unending. Paul states in Philippians 4:4 (Amplified Version): "Rejoice in the Lord always (delight, gladden yourselves in Him); again I say, Rejoice!"

In I Peter 1:8 Peter says that the Joy for the Christian should be: "Without having seen Him, you love Him, though you do not (even) now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious joy!"

When we have the "Fruit of the Spirit", we will retain an attitude of Joy. Praise God!