Monday Morning Devo - Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 14:11 NKJV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-4 NKJV

I probably don't need to define joy for you. You know, that feeling that makes you so you just can't stop smiling. However, there are two kinds of joy. One is the temporary thing that lasts for a couple of hours--maybe--or a day or two even. The other kind--it's there even when sad things happen.

Maybe it's because when you know the God of the universe personally, you understand that He's never lost control of the world or of your life. Maybe it's because Jesus is inside, building that joy with each beat of your heart. All I know for sure is that it's there just as surely as He is.

God never promised us an easy life or an absence of some pretty terrible problems. He did promise we could have fellowship with the Father and the Son and the Spirit just for the asking, and that when we did ask, our joy would become complete.

Wow, God. How did You do that?

Father, Son, Spirit--thank You for the companionship, for the promises, and for the joy.
Amen.