Good morning on this fine autumn day! I don't know what is going on with you today, but God told me that somebody out there needs some joy in his or her life. Happiness is an emotional response to a set of circumstances, and I cannot provide that for you. Joy, on the other hand, I cannot provide either, wouldn't even know where to start. But I do know where our joy comes from! Whether you surrendered, submitted, responded, opened the door, or committed to Jesus, you gained His Holy Spirit within you on that day, even in that very moment.
The source of our joy is the comfort of our salvation, the knowledge of God, love of God and one another, and the faith placed in us and grown to a mighty strength by the very Spirit of our Lord and Christ. We do not have to beg for this each day, but it does help to ask of God. We may need to search a bit harder for that joy on some days, and find it quite easily on others. The joy of the Spirit multiplies more quickly in the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but it also spreads to those who do not believe. The joy we gain from Jesus helps us in times that seem far beyond our strength. Strength of emotion and spirit we did not know we possessed comes from the same source of joy who lives in you and me, the Spirit of God.
It is interesting that joy is not something I can give to you, but it is something I can share with you. My joy cannot be complete when yours is not, but each of us has complete joy in the Holy Spirit. We can rejoice in the Lord always, even though we don't always feel like rejoicing. We may go to bed defeated, but fresh joy comes in the morning. Joy is a gift from God. Ask Him to open your heart to receive it.
Bucky
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