It is easy to identify someone who is filled with joy. Joy is a light in the soul that cannot be hidden. When a person is full of joy, their smiles are effortless, their eyes are bright, and their countenance seems to glow. Joy is always evident.

It is also easy to identify someone whose soul has been depleted of joy. You can force a smile, but you cannot force joy. Joy is not an outward decision; it is an inward response.

We can’t fake joy. We must find it.

Yes, life brings disappointments and difficulties, and we all have personal failures and regrets. The enemy wants to keep us fixated on things that rob us of our joy, but the Holy Spirit helps us lift our eyes to see greater realities found in Christ. In this summer series, we will study Paul’s letter to the Philippians, asking the Holy Spirit to help us see that, no matter what we are facing, we have a reason to rejoice.