Joy

Joy: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.

How do we have Joy in the Lord? I think that if we just lay everything that we deal with in life at the feet of Jesus, Good and Bad, we can experience true Joy. I know that its not the easiest thing in the world to do. Give it all to God. There is a song written by Darrell Evans "Trading my Sorrows"
"I'm trading my sorrow
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

Chorus:
And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength"

God wants us all to lay it down for the Joy of the Lord. WOW lay it all down. I can honestly say that this is extremely important to me, personally. God delights in us giving all of our problems to him.

I think that we also can have Joy in the same manor. Truly enjoy all that God provides for us. We also have to understand that God is going to give us more than just the good things but the things that we don't want either. Its all stuff that HE wants us to have. Have Joy in it.