Joy is one of the most important ingredients in the Kingdom of God. We read that “The Kingdom of God is … righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17) Joy is also the very atmosphere of heaven. We read in the Book of Revelations, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, …”.(Revelations 21:4)  Heaven s a place with no more sorrow, crying or tears, a place of pure joy! The good news is that we can have this experience right here in earth today. Jesus wants His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. 

Can you remember the last time you felt joyful? A time when you really felt joy all through your body from your head to your toes?

In our fast-paced lives, where we can often feel overworked and overwhelmed, being joyful seems a bit like having your cake and eating it too. Joy seems like a nice idea, but who has the time?

Not only that, but when the news is filled with so much sadness and suffering, it may seem downright selfish to even want to feel joy.

Even though we can come up with all sorts of reasons to avoid feeling joyful, research suggests it’s imperative that we do. Turns out joy is a radical act that can help combat stress, boost our resilience, and re-energize us so that we’re better equipped to face the challenges of this world.

In other words? Far from being selfish, joy might be just what we need to show up for the world (and ourselves) in a bigger, more sustainable way.