Joy

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” (John 15:11 NLT)

Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is limited by earthly circumstances, whereas joy goes beyond the natural. It is a supernatural gift from the Holy Spirit. Even though we have access to joy, oftentimes we choose to ignore it. Instead, we reach for the momentary gratification of pleasure, pride, approval, or acceptance. Or, when we are in pain, we opt for instant justification in the form of anger, resentment, bitterness, irritation, impatience, and indignation. Joy requires us to let go of our rigidly-held ideas and embrace The Divine.

Joy is limitless, boundary-less, uncontainable. It springs from within the spirit realm and overflows into physical reality. Joy is the sense of well-being and blessedness that permeates our soul as we become aware of God’s grace and unconditional, unfailing love.