Nailing Down Joy

I am participating in a Bible study on the Fruit of the Spirit and this week's focus fruit was joy. Joy. Hum. What springs to my mind when that word is mentioned is sort of an inflated feeling of happiness. Almost a giggly, silly, skipping around feeling. I must admit that I don't feel giggly and silly very often so do I not "have" joy in the sense that the Bible talks about that manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Troublesome. I feel happy, satisfied, and mostly content with life overall but there are some circumstances in my life that sort of hold me back from all out joy in the overhappy, blissful sense of the word. Most lives have pockets of pain. The verses that I was led through pointed out something that I already knew but had not contemplated fully....that our joy comes from our salvation. Period. Not our circumstances, the weather, our body type, our friendships, our marriages, the speed of our last run, our kids' grades, our health, our bank balance, our abilities, our talents, just our salvation through Jesus Christ. That's all we need to provide all of the joy we need that will supercede any other small irritant or huge heinousness in our lives that ordinarily would kill joy. Here's something interesting...all week long I had a new spring in my step and a refreshing lightheartedness. I may have even giggled a few times. I felt an underlying sense of happiness that brought a new perspective to everything I did each day. My mind kept drifting back to the loving sacrifice that Jesus was willing to give for us and I was so genuinely grateful to Him no mundane hassle that I faced could bring me down. That's divine joy. The buoyed spirit and sense of peace that passes all understanding as we travel through our day. Car on "e" when already late to get child from school? Child in college patting foot waiting on valentine package that you've already promised her but are still hauling around in the backseat of car not yet mailed? Husband asking for debit card receipts from Saturday's shopping trip but that you know you put chewed gum in whilst prissing into Bible Study? Both dogs' fur matted and need to go to groomer but really don't want to shell out the money especially in light of said Sat. shopping trip? Oldest kernal making decisions that make knees weak and heart pound in chest 24/7? NO PROBLEM. I have the healing power of salvation infused JOY. Cling with me to the joy of our salvation as your spiritual, physical, and psychological lifejacket and you won't sink. It is all we need to have everpresent joy that undergirds our every step. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:12 Now go pop some popcorn and think about that one.