The Joy which No Man can Take from You

And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.  Joh 16:22

Joy is not exactly happiness, but a deep contentment. Happiness is ephemeral. It shows on the face shortly before it vanishes. But joy is subtle. It operates in the heart, and it may even be felt in the blood. Joy is divine, and it is a revelation much more than a feeling. But first let us hear what others have to say on the nature of joy.

‘Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience. We need to be light-hearted in what we do to avoid taking ourselves too seriously. It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride.’ Richard J. Foster

‘The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.’ Dwight L. Moody.

 To pursue joy is to lose it. The only way to get it is to follow steadily the path of duty, without thinking of joy, and then, like sheep, it comes most surely unsought, and we "being in the way," the angel of God, bright-haired joy, is sure to meet us. Alexander MacLaren

Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy. He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross. S.D. Gordon

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psa 16:11  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22

If you have no joy, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere. Billy Sunday

Joy is Strength. Mother Teresa

Joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering, it is the presence of God. Sam Storms

I'm not going to get upset. I'm not going to let people steal my joy. Joel Osteen

Joy can mean different things to different people: ‘Poor food and water for dinner, a bent arm for a pillow - that is where joy resides. For me, wealth and renown without honor are nothing but drifting clouds.’ Confucius. Respect them. It gives them joy, and it steals nothing from you.

Finally it is impossible for a Christian to be truly joyful without prayer, without contentment, and without an attitude of thanksgiving.

"Prayer changes us in ways that we never thought would be possible. When we are unhappy, prayer can lift our hearts and fill it with unspeakable joy." Julia Bristol.

"When the Christian praises and gives thanks to God, this not only pleases God, but it enriches the Christian's life with joy." Rick Warren

"Joy is a choice based on being content regardless of circumstances. Understanding what encourages joy in your life can help you cultivate it and build up your resources for when circumstances are difficult." M. Ahlers

"The reality is that this is how you know if you're getting closer to God: more kindness, more gentleness, more joy, more peace, more patience." Matt Brown.

 "Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." Franklin Roosevelt

"Live for today, but hold your hands open to tomorrow. Anticipate the future and its changes with joy. There is a seed of God's love in every event, every unpleasant situation in which you may find yourself." Barbara Johnson

"Joy can be real only if people look upon their lives as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness." Leo Tolstoy

"We all have battles to fight. And it's often in those battles that we are most alive: it's on the frontlines of our lives that we earn wisdom, create joy, forge friendships, discover happiness, find love, and do purposeful work." Eric Greitens

 "There is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in pursuing more. In a world that constantly tells us to buy more and more, we often lose sight of that." Joshua Becker

 And Finally One can Never Separate Joy from Loving.

"A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love." Mother Teresa. 

‘Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things… Charity never faileth.’ 1Co 13:7, 8 

Jesus’ disciples were sorrowful because they thought he was going away forever, never to be seen by them again. But he calmed their fears perfectly: ‘I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.’ And may you too be surprised today by his joy, and may it be your strength now and forever, life without end, Amen.