The essence of Joy

My wife is a happy person. She is a consistently happy, encouraging, person. I admire that in her as it is a quality that is not frequently seen in people. She has an attitude of joy that is contagious. But, to catch true joy from someone else is not as easy as it sounds. Because the essence of joy is deeper than most think. The word translated "joy" in the New Testament refers to the joy of God passing through a Christian. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the LORD is your strength” and it refers to joy that is based on spiritual or religious factors. It is not a slaphappy silliness that is the result of positive circumstances, but the deep-founded joy of God. Spiritual joy transcends circumstances. It is a joy that remains when you are going through tough financial, spiritual, mental, emotional or physical times. It’s a kind of joy that brings a sustaining strength to you. Joy is not a result of favorable circumstances and even occurs when those circumstances are the most painful and severe. It should only be based on your relationship with God. So you can be around my wife and catch her happy attitude, and encouraging demeanor, but to catch joy, well, that is caught through your personal relationship with the Lord. It's there for you to have, but it's up to you to tap into it. I hope this helps you today.