Live Your Joy StoryCampione

## When Joy Fills The soul is built with the capacity to feel many things. From affection to zeal, our emotions are poised to see which one will take center stage. Yet, with life’s constant demands, how can we focus on the joy Christ sets before us? As we struggle to find our way, God desires to show us His strength. "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving” (Psalm 28:7 NLT). God treasures our trust. As we open our hearts to His goodness, His joy fills the soul. It soaks into every crevice and informs every other emotion that God is our strength and shield. As we rejoice, we experience exhilaration from an eternal point of view. However, joy is much more than a feeling. It is also a spiritual fruit. It is part of a cluster of attributes God’s Spirit produces in the believer's life. (Galatians 5:22-25) Just like the other spiritual fruit—love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—God intends for joy to flourish in us by His grace. We receive the beauty of His intentions as we follow how and where His Spirit leads. (Romans 15:13) May today’s prayer and Scripture reading create fertile soil for the Holy Spirit’s fruit to form and grow in our lives. ## Your Joy Story How does having God’s strength fill you with joy in your current circumstances? ## Prayer Dear God, You are my strength and shield. As I trust You with all my heart, I am helped, and my heart is filled with joy. Help me to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. May His fruit form and flourish in me all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.