The Fruit Of Joy

Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is based on circumstances, but joy is based on posture and focus. Happiness is a lack of trouble, but joy is satisfaction, contentment and peace in the midst of trouble. True joy is based on God and His truth about Who He is and what He says about us. As with all virtues, joy is something that we should pursue and strive for, partly by correcting our perspective. But joy is also a fruit of the Spirit. It is a product of our walk with God. It is that aspect which I want to discuss.

Romans 15:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joy is something which comes from God. We cannot have it without Him. We gain joy by focusing on Him (rather than focusing on what is going on around us.) It is so tempting to look at our suffering, or the suffering of others, to focus on the troubling things around us that cause worry, fear or discontentment. But those things steal our joy. We need to keep our gaze on Christ.

John 16:22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

Jesus said this to the disciples just before His crucifixion, but it applies to us as well. We have grief now, the grief that comes from sin and the world. But we also have Christ. We have the hope and assurance of His resurrection, salvation and the glory to come. We have His promise to help us, to guide us, to perfect us until we leave this earth. He is always with us and He has conquered Satan, death and sin. Through Him we have victory over them as well. That should give us great joy! If we keep our eyes, our attention on Him, we will never lose sight of that joy.

1 Peter 1:6-9 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Joy comes from looking at Christ. But He also gives us His joy as a gift. Joy comes not only from actively keeping our perspective on the eternal, but from abiding in Christ.

Matthew 6:33 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Joy is a natural byproduct of a life filled with Christ. That is why it is a fruit of the Spirit; it comes from living in Him. When we are pursuing Christ we are filled with Him which grows in us His likeness. Just as a branch that grows from a tree produces fruit true to that tree, when we are rooted in Christ and filling ourselves with Him we produce fruit true to Him. He is not a God of misery or oppression, but a God of love and joy.

John 15:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

He wants us to share in that joy and in turn share that joy with others. The beauty of it is; if we are rooted in Christ, if we are filling ourselves with Him until we are overflowing, then we will naturally have that perspective which keeps us from worry and fear. It is that very posture and presence of being IN Him which brings joy, from having Him and being in Him, but also from focusing on Him. And if our purpose is to be filled with Him then we will be focusing on Him. Truly, He takes our burdens on Himself and in return gives us His own which are light and easy to bear.

Seek Christ. Seek to be filled with Him and have joy!