Joy

Joy. It's not quite happiness, and not quite contentment. It's somewhere in the middle of both. Happiness is impossible to feel in the midst of sorrow because they are opposites. Being content isn't enough to describe joy. Joy is something that only comes with the Holy Spirit. He provides joy in us. When we accept Christ and the Holy Spirit begins to walk with us, we get joy. (Really, we get everything that is in Christ when the Holy Spirit walks with us! Patience, righteousness, wisdom, etc. It is all in us, sometimes all it takes is asking God to have it come forth!) But joy is one of the most beautiful experiences when we accept Christ. Do you remember when you did? (or if you haven't, bear with me for a second) Do you remember how you felt like you were on top of the world? Nothing could touch you? You were overwhelmed with a peace that is beyond words? You were joyful. Joy is something we can feel in the midst of deepest depressions. It is something we can experience in the midst of highest happiness. It stays constant. As constant and steadfast as God's love is for us, is the joy we have once we have accepted him. We can voluntarily choose to ignore joy, but why would we want to do that? Joy gives us hope.