Fruity Spirit: Joy

Last week, we talked Love in our series talking through each of the fruits of the Spirit, humorously named “Fruity Spirit”.

Joy isn’t always being  jumping-off-walls happy or shouting “Jesus loves you!” (which sometimes may be the case). Joy can just be being happy about anything and everything. Though sometimes we don’t know how to be happy, because we don’t know or understand what God gives us or why he’s done something, it’s all right because God knows, and understands exactly what’s going on. No matter what, God has a plan for you, and he knows exactly how to get you through the tunnel to the light at the end.

They will be a sign and a wonder to you and your descendants forever. Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. Deuteronomy 28:46-48

These verses can really dig deep, because they flatly say that if you’re not joyful in the Lord, you will be destroyed! Now maybe it’s not quite for us like it was for the Israelite, but if we don’t have joy in the Lord even as Christians, we can destroy ourselves.

I have a really hard time being happy for all that happens in my life. And that’s natural. From the wise words of one of my previous pastors, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” This rings true throughout our lives; the importance to remain joyful, even when its hard, and especially to be joyful when it isn’t, this is what we are all called to do as followers of Christ.

Check out my post next week on Peace!