Joy is the fruit(cake) of the Spirit
By Lisa Wells
There’s a comical holiday commercial where it is revealed that there is really only ONE fruitcake. That fruitcake gets wrapped up and sent as a gift, and the recipient repackages it and re-gifts it to the next person, who then does the same, and eventually the fruitcake makes it back to the original household.
As I read various Bible verses about joy, I was struck by how the gift of joy is offered with a promise. That just like the gift of the Holy Spirit, God has given a gift that cannot be taken away from us. Joy cannot be taken from us any more than the Holy Spirit dwelling in us can be taken from us. And the more we spread joy, the more joy finds its way back to us.
Just prior Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus assures his disciples, “So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22).
During that same conversation Jesus announced to his disciples the promise of the coming Holy Spirit, (or “Counselor”). The Holy Spirit is God’s very presence abiding in us. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22), and as we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit, we too produce the fruits of the Spirit. Biblical joy is accessible to us no matter what is happening in the world around us, because we don’t have to come up with it on our own, it is found in having a relationship with God. God provides the joy. We receive that joy, and send the fruit(cake) of joy back out into the world.
Prayer:
True lasting joy can be found in abiding with you, Lord. Help us to be vessels of your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; sending out these fruits of the Spirit into the world through us.
St. John member Lisa Wells is a Certified Lay Servant and plays in the handbell choir.