Count It All Joy
by Janet Williams-Johnson
The world’s definition for joy is “a feeling of great pleasure, happiness, and sharing tears of joy.” The biblical definition of joy says that joy is “a feeling of good pleasure and happiness” that is dependent on who Jesus is rather than on who you are or what may be happening around you. In other words, “joy” is a learned behavior that rests in the Holy Spirit of God. What happens is you find yourself abiding in God’s presence rather than the situations or circumstances of life.
Yet, the joy of the Lord has an in depth and greater meaning that is experienced over and over again on this level. As a little girl, I recall hearing my Grandmother Nellie saying; “this joy I have the world didn’t give it to me, so the world can’t take it away.” She would be stirring around in the kitchen every morning preparing girts, eggs, and sausages for my siblings, cousins, and me. I heard her shouting about the joy of the Lord, time and time again. Yet, I didn’t have a clue what she was sharing in those words.