The Joy of the Lord

Whenever folks begin to consider the fruit of the Spirit, there is a real temptation to consider them as virtues to be developed. Perhaps you find yourself saying, “I need to work on that one!” Or you begin to think of a member of your family, a neighbor, or a coworker who you wish would consider spending some effort acquiring one of these character traits to their personal development to-do list.

Years ago Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, “Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” If you have ever committed yourself to “pursuing happiness,” then you know how unsatisfying that endeavor can be. So many activities seem promising at first. They may fascinate for a while. They may even distract you from some of the more painful experiences in your life momentarily. Eventually, though, you find yourself no more happy—just a little more tired and with a few less dollars in your wallet.

Paul tells the community of believers in Galatia that God is working through the Holy Spirit to produce fruit in them. It is the fruit of love; and that love is expressed in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities of God’s love in you are evidence of presence of God’s power at work in your life. While there are certainly ways that we can frustrate God’s presence and power in our lives, we cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit in our own strength.

Some people find it helpful to think of God’s love as light pouring into their lives. If you think of it this way, then your purpose is to reflect the light of God to the rest of the world. That means you aren’t responsible for generating the light, but for reflecting it. That raises the question, “What is keeping people from seeing the light of God reflected in me?”

Nehemiah reminded the remnant of those returning from exile, “the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10). As the fruit of God’s love grows in you may you experience joy in every moment of your life. May it not be dependent on your circumstances or your prospects; but entirely on your faith in God’s gracious love for you.