Got Joy?

http://sarahjanestudios.com/blog/2010/08/got-joy/

Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.


Joy brings life.
Joy brings peace.
Joy brings happiness.
Joy brings fruit.

Love brings joy.
Freedom brings joy.

I love how there are multiple words in which joy is the root. 
Enjoy.
Rejoice.
Overjoyed.
Joyful. 
Each one reminds me of this reoccurring theme of happiness. Joy isn't something that lasts a moment. If you enjoy something, you like it for more than a moment. You have either developed a taste for it or you have an immediate connection and it isn't over after a moment. You would want it again. If you rejoice over something, you are truly excited and thankful enough to show your appreciation or gratitude. This happiness and elation lasts more than a moment. The prefix re- signifies it's going to happen again and again. You are being joyful over something again and again. You are bringing praise. Overjoyed and joyful remind me of a container overflowing or filled to the brim and bubbling over with happiness. This joy brings me feelings of calmness. This true joy only comes from the Lord and we should rejoice in it.

As a people watcher, I've noticed as most of you have too, that some people are obviously more joyful that others. As believers, we are called to be joyful even in difficult situations (James 1:1-2). How is this possible? How can we be joyful when our entire world seems to be crashing down? How can we be joyful when our plans aren't going as WE expected them to go? Our joy seems to diminish as we try to take the reigns back from God. When we start trusting in our own ability, we start lacking in joy. I find it interesting that we often think controlling the situation is more pleasing to us because we can "help" with the outcome, but in actuality we only fill ourselves with a pseudo-joy that will not be replenished over and over.

What gives you joy? What makes you tick? What gives you life?