Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Joy is a feeling of happiness, but it is more than just feeling cheerful. It has a very visible exuberance about it, an external expression that everyone can see in us. We talk about “jumping for joy”.
I remember some years ago, a man who lived opposite the church I attended at the time, saying, “I don’t know why you lot go to church, you always look so miserable when you come out!”
We may be happy that Jesus is in our lives, but are we joyful?
It has taken me many years, and I have to confess I’m not fully there yet, to feel comfortable talking about my faith in a non-church context – at work, to casual encounters, with non-Christian friends.
I love uplifting worship songs that fill my heart with joy, I love meeting with Christian friends and studying God’s word together in house group, or listening to the Spirit speaking through an inspiring and challenging preacher. These all give me joy.
However, what really excites me and makes me want to jump with joy, is the unexpected times when the Spirit prompts us to speak or pray in an “outside church” situation, and that person experiences a sense of peace that only God can bring.
I may not leave church every Sunday skipping and jumping for joy, but I hope I do leave with a smile and a spring in my step, exhibiting in some small way the joy that knowing Jesus brings.