| Are You a Happy Person? - article by Joel Hempel The words joy, rejoice, and joyful have been stalking me for several months. Not in a creepy sense, but as if to be saying, write about me. Then, the other day, my friend Dr. Ed asked me if I was a happy person. I quickly said, No. Now that I have had time to think about his question, my answer is still No. It is true I am not a happy-go-lucky, cheerful person. I admire people who are. They are a blessing to me. But being happy and being joyful are two very different things. Joyful I am! Has it occurred to you – as it has recently been brought to my attention – that God may have our joy at the top of his agenda for us? These things I [Jesus] have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full (John 15:11). “These things” Jesus was referring to were shared with his disciples the day before his crucifixion. He was preparing his disciples for what was about to happen, which included his death and departure. Although his death would be painful and his departure distressing, what he shared with them would result in great joy. You can check it out in the Gospel of John, chapters 13-16, but to summarize, Jesus first tells his disciples that where he is going is where he will welcome them (and us) in the next life. Second, until then, he reassures them that the new way of living he has been teaching them is trustworthy because it comes from God the Father. Third, although he is going away, he will still be as close as a vine is to its branches because he will send them his Spirit, who will continue to teach and help them in their new life. In other words, Jesus was saying – to his disciples and us – that he was not only going to the cross to take our sins upon himself so we could be with him in heaven but also to give us a new way of living, and the power to live this new life. That is, Jesus came not only to give us life eternal but also life now. Joy is at the top of God’s agenda for us because joy is the natural outgrowth of receiving Jesus as our Savior and living the life we are called to as Jesus-followers (see Galatians 5:22). As the Holy Spirit inspires, equips, and empowers us to grow in our dedication to the life he has prepared for us here on earth, the greater our joy will be because we are living in sync with God’s will. If you are a happy person, great! If you are not, we can all rejoice, for we are God’s children who get to live the life prepared for us now and in eternity. | 
