Joy/Thanksgiving
Joy is an important element in a community, one of the three key characteristics of the Kingdom of God. The joy of the Lord is our strength, Nehemiah said. Christian Joy is us seeking and finding pleasure with the God who saves us and loves us. It is rooted in the happiness of God who is never discouraged. He bids us to delight in Him and in His salvation.
Joy, a fruit of the Spirit, needs to be fought for and cultivated. That means that joy is not easy and natural. It has hardly anything to do with your personality or genes. Here are fifteen things that John Piper put out in his book Desiring God for fighting for joy:
