Today, we will be breaking down the fruit of the Spirit: JOY. The following definitions come from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. The Scripture version are from the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible.
Joy
Joy is feeling of great happiness. Kay Warren defines joy as “the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of [our lives], the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” Joy is not based on emotion. It is based on the fact that God is good, no matter what is happening in our lives. James 1:2 says “to count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” Even in the midst of our life’s storms, we count it all joy. As you are reading this passage, you may be asking yourself, “how can we have joy in the midst of chaos?”. The answer to that question is if we believe that God can do the impossible and trust Him with our lives, we have no need to be worried or concerned about the outcome. God declares that we need to “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
Application
How do you find joy in your life? Do circumstances get in the way of your joy? Sometimes it is difficult to find joy in the midst of life’s storms. It is only human to feel sadness and disappointment. But we cannot remain in those emotions. We must pick ourselves back up and start walking towards Jesus for comfort and guidance. We find joy in Jesus!
Faith.Hope.Love 