But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 New Living Translation
Where there is love, there is joy.
Mother Teresa
“… the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10b NLT)
I usually read this verse as meaning that God gives us joy. That is surely true. But one can only give what one has, right? So “the Joy of the Lord” is not just what He possesses, it is what he experiences. Joy is what God is. He is the source of joy because He is joyful.
And He insists on sharing His joy with His children.
The Bible is clear. Ancient Israel was repeatedly instructed to celebrate their festivals “with joy.” Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. Deuteronomy 16:14 New International Version
Everyone rejoicing; no one left out.
Jesus was joyful. Before He was crucified, He said, “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” (John 15:11 NLT)
And in the prayer before His arrest, He said, “Now I am coming to you [God the Father]. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. John 17:13 NLT
Joy-filled Christ followers was always the plan.
So how, in this unhappy world, are we to access joy? Here are some thoughts:
A Christian is one who is invited… to join in the feast,
to the joy of being saved,
to the joy of being redeemed, to the joy of sharing life with Christ.
This is a joy! You are called to a party!
Pope Francis
Joy is a mystery because it can happen anywhere, anytime,
even under the most unpromising circumstances,
even in the midst of suffering, with tears in its eyes.
Frederick Buechner
Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life,
the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right,
and the determined choice to praise God in all things.
Kay Warren
I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:2 NLT
