Good morning people who find your joy in the Lord God Almighty

What is God’s joy dependent on?

This is an interesting statement, because our focus is often on ‘our joy’. I have often focused on the reality that I would like to have more joy. Life can be challenging, struggles can be front and centre, and joy can feel elusive.

But does God want us to see joy differently? I believe He does.

Joy is a fruit of God’s Spirit.

Joy is not a feeling we have, but rather, joy is who God is and it is something He gives to His people. Joy is often confused with happiness, but it is very different. Happiness is founded on happenings (whether things are going good or bad), while joy is founded on God in us.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that ‘the joy of the Lord is our strength’. It’s not our joy; it’s the joy of the Lord!

John 15:10-11 NIV If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

This is a powerful passage of Scripture! It’s not our circumstances that results in joy, but it is our obedience to all that God says. And the result is that our joy is complete because it is God’s joy that is in us! Our joy is an overflow of God’s joy in us.

This is a major theological shift for some of us, but the fruit of it is the fruit of the Spirit, and this includes God’s joy in us that overflows into our joy in life.