The word joy, or some form of it (“rejoice,” or “joyful”) is mentioned over 400 times in the Bible. Joy ranks right up there with words like faith and wisdom. The word first appears in the book of Esther, when an evil plot to annihilate the entire Jewish nation was thwarted; “there was joy and gladness among the Jews with feasting and celebrating” (Esther 8:18).

In the New Testament, we learn that joy in the byproduct of the Holy Spirits works in our lives (Galatians 5:22). 1 Peter says that when we trust Jesus and enter into a relationship with him, we receive a joy that is “glorious and too much for words”(1 Peter 1:8 CEB). Over the next several weeks we will examine the deeper meaning of joy. 

Unlike happiness, a state of emotional well-being based on good things happening in a specific moment, joy is an inner feeling that can be sustained, even in the face of hardships and trials. For the believer, joy is a choice; through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability, to choose to respond to adverse, external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction.

Because we know that, All, things are working together for our good (Romans 8:28). That means that God is working through both joy and pain to accomplish His work in our lives. We should not pray so much for the removal of affliction, as for wisdom to make a right use of it.