This concept can be applied to any person and any walk of life.  It deals with the source we derive our joy and happiness from.  It’s said in this book that there is “a profound difference between happiness and joy.  A person cannot be happy all the time, but he can always be joyful.  Happiness is derived and removed by external factors. Joy springs from within, and therefore cannot be lessened or increased by forces outside us. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit — an invisible power that transcends all volleys against it.” To restate this, don’t wait for the things outside your control to change so that you can live a joyful fulfilled life. Instead, realize that God wants you to be joyful and has given you the power to do so within you through His Holy Spirit.

So if joy is a Fruit of the Spirit, it will be developed in us as the Spirit of God does it work in us.  But then where do we derive this inner joy from? When we receive the Holy Spirit we find that we have been ‘endued with power from on high.’ This is the power to look beyond our present circumstances to the God who is greater than our problems. It gives us a chance to rise above every obstacle that can be put in our way.  We don’t have to be brought down by anything, because God is on our side and gives us the strength we need to carry on.  We can be excited because our joy needn’t come from our external circumstances, but it comes from the power of the Almighty God living in you!

It reminds me of someone I know who has found that recently they have been more overcome with joy, not only because of where their focus lies while in prayer, but also where their focus lies in life. For a while they weren’t focused on and studying the word and seeking in their daily life. They were on fire at church, but less than enthusiastic when they were outside its four walls or not in a special service.  Now that they have allowed their daily life to be filled with thoughts of God, the joy I have written about has been realized in their life.

So I challenge you this week to look beyond your circumstances to the God (Jesus) who is bigger than your problems. Focus your eyes on Him and watch as all else fades into the background. Go in joy, not because your external circumstances have improved, but because you have been empowered to live a joyful life through Jesus Christ. Again, joy is not some mystical object or idea that can’t be attained, but a Fruit of the Spirit that will develop in us as we stay in Christ and focus on Him.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”  — I John 3:1

Many of us in the United States celebrated Father’s Day recently. As a nation we honor our Dads with gifts, cards, and cookouts. I hope you had the chance to spend some time with a father figure in your life this weekend and thank him for his influence in your life. But as we thank our fathers, we should take time to focus on our Heavenly Father.

One thing I have been working on lately is seeing God as my father. I don’t know about you, but when I think about God, I tend to picture the vast expanse of the night sky, the microscopic complexities hidden within the cells of a human body, or how He can measure the waters of all the oceans in the palm of His hand. Now, while the majesty and power of God are things we need to stand in awe of, here in the wake of Father’s Day is an excellent time to dwell on some of God’s other characteristics.

God is not only the absolute ruler of the universe, he also notices when a single sparrow falls. God is to be feared and respected as the King of Kings, but He is not an untouchable monarch: he is as close as the mention of his name. Though he is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, he is also Abba Father, who loves giving good gifts to his children.

Like every good father, God cares about the smallest details of our lives. He never sleeps or takes his eyes of his children; he has every hair on their head numbered. He knows what we need before we ask, and yet he wants us to share all our needs with him, as well as our troubles and joys. God is not a distant cosmic being who is too preoccupied with running the universe to listen to the cries of humanity. He is a loving father who delights in His children.