Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. If we have the Spirit, which is for us a downpayment of the life to come, then we ought to bear the fruit of joy in our lives.
But who's joy? Is it ours, or someone else's?
Well, I think it's both, but it's worth thinking about that question a bit.
For believers, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, it is the Spirit who turns their hearts toward God and the things of God; and one of the fruits to come of all this is "the joy of the Lord." To walk humbly with the Lord (Micah 6:8) is to reap joy in season.
So the Spiritual fruit of joy is the joy within our own soul that only deepens as we grow in sanctification. In theory, at least, old saints ought to be abiding in deep joy.
But I think the fruits of the Spirit are brought forth in us, over time, for the benefit of others, as well. The fruit of joy much more than simply a pleasant sensation or feeling. It's the sense of having been rescued, the sense of having a savior. It's the feeling that you were once blind, but now see; once enchained, now free.
For this reason, joy is closely associated with the Good News, with receiving it, and with sharing it also. In much the same way that, when one receives a gift, both the recipient of the giver and the giver are joyful. Joy is a foretaste of Eternal Life!
None of which answers the question, why am I not joyful? Why do I more often feel burdened, stressed, depressed, and lonely than joyful?
In the next post, I want to think about the positive steps we can take to regain a little joy in our lives.
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