Yesterday I picked up a book at my work titled Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough by Kay Warren. (Wife of Rick Warren). I found what I think is a really good definition of joy: "Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things." I like that definition, although I would insert at the beginning that "God has a plan for me within His church". We've been learning in Sunday School and church how Christianity is so much more than individuals, and we need to look and see that there's more to it than individuals being saved by grace. We need to recognize that we have our role to play in the body of the church. In Romans 12:3-5, Paul writes: "As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of His one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others." (New Living Translation).  As my pastor has said, there are no "Lone Ranger Christians." They would get eaten alive by the world.
So how well have I done being filled with joy by this definition? I certainly have the quiet assurance that God is in control and that ultimately everything will be all right, but I have a difficult time choosing to praise God in all things. What holds me back from living a life of joy is my emotional state. I'm working on not being ruled by my emotions but I'm afraid God has a lot more work to do with me in that regard. Maybe that is why we are called to persevere until the end. The race we run is not given to the fastest or the strongest but the one who endures to the end.
On another note, my husband got his bonus in his paycheck this week--at a time when we can really use the money. (We're nowhere near broke, but after paying the mortgage and other assorted bills, our checking account was a little depleted.) I've noticed this bonuses always seem to come at just the right time--praise God! There's even enough for me to put some into our savings.