Yesterday in my Bible reading I came across a passage that struck me (well, perhaps the Holy Spirit enlightened me): Romans 8:5-6: "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Holy Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace." (New Living Translation).  Looking at this passage closely,  it seems that what we think contributes to our joy as much as anything going on around us. If we think about sinful, nasty things, the result will be a sinful life. If we think about the things that please God, the result will be life and joy. Unfortunately I realized that I still have a long way to go. Thank God that He's doing the work in me, and that it's not a result of my effort, or I'd be in a lot of trouble.