As a young woman, I was extremely serious. Because of the years of sexual abuse I endured while growing up, I really never knew what it was like to have a childhood—to live care-free, just laughing and playing.
I’ll never forget when I went to see a doctor several years back. As he examined me, he remarked, “You’re an intense person, aren’t you?” He was right. By nature, my personality is a little more serious, but I had to learn how to enjoy my life.
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Joy is a major part of God’s plan for our everyday lives. Romans 14:17 tells us that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It’s part of His will for us.
What is joy? It’s not just about always entertaining ourselves or doing something fun. As I mentioned, joy has been defined as everything from “extreme hilarity” to “a calm delight.” Since I’m a more serious person by nature, the “calm delight” definition is usually my type of joy. But a good belly laugh is sometimes just what we need!
Joy is also a spiritual weapon. Nehemiah 8:10c (AMPC) says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” And Psalm 16:11b tells us where to find jo: “In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
Just as with peace, God is our source of joy, but we have a choice. Life will never be perfect—we will always have circumstances to deal with. But how we respond to those circumstances makes all of the difference.
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