Joy is not the performance of enthusiasm and exuberance. Joy is not an act.  You can't fake joy.  Joy is real.  

Joy is not happiness.  Happiness is dependent on exterior things.  Happiness has to do with ideas and goals, aspirations and achievements.  Happiness accompanies good news. 

To make it plain: happiness stops happening when happenings stop happening!  

Happiness we can achieve but Joy we have to receive.  Joy is from the Lord! Happiness is to joy, as lavender is to purple!  Joy has to do with the posture of the soul.  Joy can be triggered by good or bad news.  If you have joy, when good news comes, you know that "every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights...." (James 1:17) If you are in the Lord, and bad news knocks at your door, then you have joy because "...all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) 

Joy means when a loved one dies, yes we will experience grief; yes there will be tough days ahead. There will be tears.  But just behind those tears and pain, joy whispers that our beloved is in that place where there is "no sighing no sorrow, neither are there any more tears." (Revelations 21:4) Joy is when we discover "to live is Christ and to die is gain."  (Philippians 1:21) 

Joy shouts, we'll see them someday in God's bright future, where there is sunshine 8 days a week!  Where we never get old. Where the word cancer has no more power.  If you know something about this joy, let me hear you say yes!

Prayer for today: 

Yes to Joy!

God's Peace & Blessings,

Rob+