Joy is defined different ways. Paul’s letter to the Galatians lists it as a “fruit of the spirit”. One dictionary definition is “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” God and joy are not strangers to each other, and I think we can agree that, though we might not “feel it” every moment of every day, manifesting joy should not be unusual for us. Please give this song a sing-along listen and come back for some joy talk.
Joy vs. stress
I imagine most people would benefit from having more joy and less stress. Joy might look like laughter, peacefulness or even solitude. It might feel like contentment and calm, and it often keeps company with thankfulness and optimism. To laugh and smile more can lower stress hormones, helping our bodies quiet down.
One way to reach for joy is to recognize there are hard things going on in and around you which cannot simply be ignored. Turning up the volume on joy to try to drown out obstacles is not usually a winning strategy. Obstacles and troubles are on your plate. Might as well make a place on your plate for joy, too. Embrace God’s promises of help, sufficiency, love and care and grab the joy He intends for you. Among other benefits, doing that feeds more helpful emotions — which makes for a more attractive plate.
Joy list
Not feeling the joy? Change your activity and do something you enjoy. Plan to do the joy activity every day for the next few days.
If you can’t think of anything you enjoy, then your next step is clear – you need to make a personal “Joy List” of things that lift you up.
Joy List tips:
- Make a list of three or four activities, but no more than seven. Too many choices are a burden.
- A good joy item does not need to be epic. It only needs to be able to make small shifts in your outlook. Think small and within reach.
- Buy nothing.
- Resist eating junk food, but if it gets the job done … really … then … well …
- If your activity can be done with someone else — maybe even helps someone else — all the better.
Possible “Joy List” items:
— make or listen to music
— exercise
— connect with a friend
— draw, color, do a craft
— read
— build or make something
— cook
— get outdoors
— dance – alone or with others
— revisit something you used to enjoy
Available fruit, appropriate response
Just as a healthy fruit tree can produce good fruit, a healthy spiritual life can produce good spiritual fruit. Galatians 5 lists fruit of the spirit, and “joy” is among them. The Lord has given each of us the ability to have joy (and love, peace and more). Never doubt these things are available and are pleasing to God. Remember the Lord is the fountain of living water and supplies these good things abundantly.
When we were kids, my Mom used to give my brothers and me each a coin so we’d have something to put in the offering plate at church. I remember visiting the zoo and Mom would give us little bags of pellets to feed the animals in the petting area. She wanted us to “have” in order to “give”. God continually does the same kindness for us — He gives so we have something to give to others.
What a blessing to share love, joy and peace with others. A lot of times folks might deserve that from us. Sometimes they might not, but we still can give it.
What about the Lord? How can we respond to the unspeakable gift He has given? What cold fish we would be if, in our efforts to respond to Him with thanksgiving we could not express love, joy and peace and other such fruit. No, He did not make us to be like cold fish. Hallelujah! Let us thank Him — let the joy overflow!
God bless you lots
-Dale R.
LYRICS: Let the Joy Overflow
Text: Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1917)
Tune: Charles Hutchinson Gabriel
1. There’s a clear fountain flowing
From the bright throne above,
And its waters are glowing
With the sunshine of love;
Take the blest consolation,
Which the Lord will bestow,
Take the cup of salvation—
Let the joy overflow.
Chorus:
O the joy! With this wondrous salvation
Be our hearts all aglow;
O the joy! Let the blessing run over,
And joy overflow.
2. Many hearts need the story—
Are athirst for His grace;
Go to them with His glory
Shining out from your face;
Tell of Jesus your Savior!
If His mercies you know,
Show the light of His favor—
Let the joy overflow.
3. Be our lives freely yielded to the Savior’s command;
By His care ever shielded
And upheld by His hand;
In the pathways of sadness,
Sweetest lilies may grow;
Let us sow seeds of gladness—
Let the joy overflow.
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