Romans 15:13

 ^“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

I am not asking if you are happy.  Joy is different—deep, not fretful or furtive. Notice how our text above links joy with peace. You can tell a thing (or a person) by the company it keeps.

Joy can be lost through spiritual bleeding:

• SIN that grieves the Spirit, who is the source of joy
• TALK that cheapens the Spirit’s work. Trouble can be talked IN and blessings can be talked OUT.

Look again at Romans 15:13. See that joy traces back to God. We are not in a struggle with our emotions. We make our prayer to God who gives joy and peace. Indeed, his plan is to “fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.”

The striking words God employs (“fill,” “overflow,” and “by the power of the Holy Spirit”) all show that the joy He produces in us is not weak and passing but full and permanent.  What happened to your joy?