Be Fruitful - Joy

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"But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy . . ." - Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)
     Happiness and joy are not the same. I realize that any good thesaurus will list these as synonyms for each other, but they are different. According to one Biblical language resource, joy (Greek chara) means "exultation, exuberant joy, good cheer, mirth, gladness of heart," and is "related to grace, as if joy is a direct result of God’s grace.”*  Happiness is an emotion. And, like other emotions, it can come and go in a whim. Joy, however,  is a spiritual state of being within the heart and spirit of believers. A believer can have joy even in the midst of great hardship, because the joy is a result of God's presence. If joy is a "fruit" or a byproduct of God's presence within is, then it stands to reason that as long as He is present in our lives, then joy is present also. Happiness is dependent upon circumstances, but joy is dependent upon the LORD. The LORD never changes even though circumstances will. 

     If I understand this passage correctly, then only believers can experience joy, since it comes from the Lord. God created us to be joyful. This helps explain why we see men and women chasing after any and everything that might bring joy into their lives. Most people will set out to find joy but only end up finding temporary happiness. However, joy cannot be achieved, fabricated, purchased, or earned. Joy can only be found in God. Any other source of "joy" is merely temporary and is emotion-based. 
     If you want joy in your life, then you must have Jesus. There just simply is no other way.




* Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

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