July 26
Posted by Pastor Toledo

To speak of joy in the current cultural climate may seem like an impossibility. According to most metrics, we are living in a time of great strife, turmoil and loss. Especially in times like these, it is all too easy to grasp at false joys in order to temporarily dissipate our emptiness.

However, the Holy Spirit offers us a better way, that requires no grasping and no emptiness. In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul lists joy as the second fruit of the Spirit, right after love. Why? Perhaps true joy is not something that we feel with our circumstances or strive after in our various pursuits, but rather something that we receive from God himself. 

Questions for Meditation

  1. Why does joy naturally follow from love?
  2. What is joy? What is the opposite of joy?
  3. Why is it possible to have joy in sorrow?
  4. What happens when we lack joy? 
  5. David Foster Wallace, acclaimed writer and novelist, used the analogy of “brass rings” to describe objects of false joy. What are the “brass rings” that you are settling for today?
  6. What are the two characteristics of the complete joy that the Holy Spirit offers?
  7. How does our joy on earth relate to the coming joy in heaven? 
  8. What would it look like for you to be filled with joy today? What would need to happen in order for you to make room for this joy?


Category: What’s Your Vibe?