I have not always been the type of person to put others first.  I’ll admit that many times in life I have been extremely selfish.  That was before I understood the definition of joy.  Joy, is something I want in life, and before you start thinking joy is the same as happiness think again.  Joy comes from our Heavenly Father, but it comes when we operate in the mindset of J-O-Y, Jesus, Others, Yourself.  Putting things in that perspective and order in life will truly bring you “joy”.

Biblical tools.org explains joy this way,

“Biblical joy is a fruit, a byproduct, an additional blessing, not the end in itself. It flows into and grows within the person whose life and energies are not focused merely on being “joyful.” The lives of those in this world who are so zealously chasing after it prove this point. If they are still chasing it, they must not yet have it. God’s Word also substantiates this.”

I don’t know about you, but I am willing to do what it takes to be joyful. I want to sing to the top of my lungs the song from my childhood, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, where, down in my heart, where, down in my heart, I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, where, down in my heart to stay” and mean it with my whole heart. What about you?