Joy

During my mom’s pregnancy for me, my parents had two names chosen.  Benjamin if I was a boy, and Charity if I was a girl.  Just a few weeks before I was born my grandparents, on my mother’s side asked what my name would be.  When my parents answered “Charity”, there was immediate opposition from both my grandparents.  Unfortunately, both of my grandparents were hard of hearing.  Instead of correctly hearing the name ‘Charity’, my Grandpa heard ‘Cherry” and quickly replied – “You’re going to name my granddaughter after a fruit?!”  My Grandma heard “Cherokee” – and was very confused considering, that to our knowledge we have no Native American ancestry. It was at this point that my parents suddenly felt the need to reexamine their chosen girl’s name.

When I was born, I did not yet have a name, but this did not last long.  My dad was the first to hold me, and as the story goes, when my dad got ahold of me, he began dancing around the room and exclaimed “What a bundle of joy!”  At this point, he stopped and said, “That’s her name, Joy.”

Being joyful, was never much of a challenge for me as a child. I have always been a glass half full, type personality and God has always blessed me with the ability to see beauty and wonderment in just about anything.   Entering into adulthood, however, my namesake, my joy, has come under attack many times.  Having the name Joy, I have gone through tough seasons in which my levels of joy have been challenged and in many ways my identity also.  In these tough seasons, I have tried to generate the spirt of joy myself – put on the big smile, say the positive thing, and say ‘yes’ to taking on a new project, even though I was already over extended.  All because I did not want to disappoint.  After all, to have the name Joy and then not be joyful is like false advertisement, right?  In these difficult seasons, I have learned that self-generated joy is empty and exhausting.

Galatians 5:22 says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” with the promise that “against such things there is no law.”  I recently had the revelation that this verse does not say “But the fruit of the believer is… but rather the fruit of the Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit that produces this fruit, not me.  Any fruit that I produce on my own is artificial, much like the human made fruit you can buy in craft and home decorative stores.  It may look pretty, but in reality it is only a façade and holds no nutrients to the body, much like self-generated joy brings no nutrients to the soul.

Galatians 5:25 says “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”  To me, this verse reveals a key ingredient for being carriers of the fruit of the Spirit.  “Keep in step with the Spirit” in other words, obedience.  My responsibility is not to produce artificial fruit, but to live a life “in step” with Him and allow His Spirit to produce fruit in my life.

I have found that the recipe for joy in the Spirit is revealed further when we take a look at John 15:9-17 (NIV):

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands; you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learn from my Father I have made known to you.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go bear fruit – fruit that will last-and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

This is my command: Love each other

God’s desire is that we live lives full of His Joy.  When we keep God commands and remain in His love, we are keeping “in step” with Him and Jesus’ promise to us is that when we do this, His joy will be in us and that our joy may be complete.  Such a great promise from our heavenly Father.

Recipe for Joy: Obedience + Love = Joy.

Have a joy filled day.

Blessings.

 

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