Xanthe Galanis

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 1:6

We all want to be happy. We like things that make us laugh and feel good about ourselves. We’re happy when our day goes well or we’re on holiday or our rugby team wins. There’s nothing wrong with any of that, but it’s not what Paul is talking about here. In fact, Jesus never promised us that being a Christian would make us happy, but it will give us joy. So what’s the difference?

The Greek word for 'joy' is kevo, derived from the word charis, which is the Greek word for grace. This means that joy is not a human-based happiness that comes and goes depending on circumstances, but rather, true joy is divine in its origin; it comes from God. It is a Spirit-given expression that flourishes best in hard times. For example, in today’s verse, the Thessalonians were under great stress due to persecution; yet in the midst of it all, they continued to experience great joy. We also have good reason to rejoice because of our trials when we understand how God is using those trials to help us build godly character. More specifically, Paul wrote that "We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3-4)

Having this kind of joy doesn’t necessarily mean grinning from ear-to-ear grin all the time. There will be times when we have nothing to smile about. It can be quite easy to put on a happy face and act as though life is perfect even though we know it isn't, but real joy isn't about putting on a facade to fool everyone. It is about living out the real joy that is within us, the joy that comes with knowing our salvation in Christ is secure. A preacher once said, "Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God."

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for seeking temporary happiness when I should be seeking true joy in you. I ask that by your Spirit, you would fill me with everlasting joy. Amen