Another fruit of the spirit is joy. We live in a culture that tells us to be happy. We can supposedly find happiness through all sorts of means. Maybe we get happiness out of an experience of driving a certain car, or feel happy because we wear a certain brand or type of clothes. Perhaps we will find happiness in the house we live in, or in the friends we associate with.

Happiness then would be a feeling we have on the inside that comes from something external, such as an experience or material possession. Happy is defined as delighted, pleased, or glad as over a particular thing. What happens when that “thing” is no longer remembered or the possession is gone?

Joy is often described or defined as an emotion, but I believe it’s much more complicated than that. There are those who can endure situations such as heartbreak, sorrow, disease, and others but still have a sense of joy about them. You know the person; with all they have been through in life they could be horribly negative, but they have a quiet positive way about them that you can’t help but to notice it in your spirit.

Nothing has happened to you, you didn’t ask for anything or think you needed anything, but joy was imparted upon you because it overflowed from one person to another. It was a gift, it was fruit born in one person’s life, and it was used to feed you. My hope is that you will find joy, not in this world, but a profound joy in Jesus. May that joy increase, and may it affect or infect the lives of all those around you.

Tim Beck is pastor of Kenbridge United Methodist Church. His email address is revtimbeck@ gmail.com.