But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26 ESV).
There have been a few times when I have been asked if I was a preacher. My initial response usually is “Do I look that ill?” It usually elicits a chuckle and a quick apology, though serious response puts them at ease when I admit to being a minister and apologize if I seemed a bit too serious. Sadly, many religions lack an emphasis on joy, but there should be no doubt that Christians appreciate humor, laughter, and joy. Why? Because God himself is joyful. The second fruit of the Spirit is joy.
In Nehemiah 8:10 we are reminded, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” And I love the description of God in Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord . . . will take great delight in you . . . [and] will rejoice over you with singing.” Can you picture God singing for joy as he thinks about you and me?
Certainly, the culmination of joy is the coming of Jesus. At Jesus’ birth the angel of the Lord proclaims, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). Christ’s coming to bring salvation has brought exuberant joy into the world. The Holy Spirit, who lives in us, makes the joy of God and Jesus our own. There is no longer any need to search for joy. The Christian can say, “I have found it!”
Sadly, when we find ourselves in the depths of gloom, often with good reason, we often surrender to the temptation to shout at the wind and shake our fist at the storm. Perhaps there is much more to the common wisdom of dancing in the rain than we would at first recognize. The Holy Spirit completes the mission of Jesus to give us life and that abundantly (cf. John 10:10).
Make it your goal to focus on the joy of the promise of God!