A dictionary definition of joy is “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness”.
Joy can be experienced by us all. This word is used to describe a moment, or moments in our lives, when we can remember how we felt and recall with pleasure.
I have been thinking about what has given me joy over the years. The love that I have for my husband, children, and now grandchildren too. Our wedding day, the birth of our children, beautiful scenery, lovely weather, participating in singing or playing music, to name but a few. I feel very blessed to have such moments to recall but I realise this is not the same for everyone. There is so much sadness in the world today; wars, violence, famines, disasters, sickness where joy is something which seems out of reach.
Are you waiting to feel joy? The Bible tells us that joy is one of the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22 for believers in Christ.
Jesus himself had to endure many hard times and suffering at the hands of men and women but it is recorded in Hebrews 12 v 2 that it was ‘the joy which was set before him’ that helped him ‘endure the cross and to set aside the shame’ of such a death.
We are told in scripture that the Lord Jesus will be made King over the whole earth. It is not pleasant to see the world in such turmoil or to have to endure hard times ourselves, maybe even because of our faith and beliefs, but we are reassured that joy will be experienced by all who put trust in God’s promise of a better world to come.
Psalm 16:11 …… in your presence there is fullness of joy …