042. Chapter 37: Spiritual Joy
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Spiritual Joy
Justification also engenders joy. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10); “Bless the Lord, O my soul ... who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases” (Psalms 103:1-3); “And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity” (Isaiah 33:24).
Man was created to rejoice; to be joyful is his life and health. Sorrow is contrary to his nature, and if man had not sinned, he would not have been sorrowful for one moment. A young child shows its joy by laughter and skipping around; all that man does, he does to be happy. Sorrow grips, presses, oppresses, and brings pain to the heart, whereas joy enlarges the heart and causes one to be refreshed by leaping for joy. This is true in the natural, and also in the spiritual realm.
Joy is the pleasure, delight, and rejoicing of the heart. It is the expression of a spirit set at liberty (or enlarged), generated by a present blessing or due to the anticipation of a future blessing. The Holy Scriptures, the best and infallible chronicler of nature, expresses joy by the verb rejoice: “... my heart rejoiceth in the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:1); by the verb enlarge: “... when thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Psalms 119:32); by the verb delight: “Delight thyself also in the Lord” (Psalms 37:4); and by the verb cheer: “... let thy heart cheer thee” (Ecclesiastes 11:9).
Since man is not all-sufficient within himself, he must seek all his delight and joy elsewhere, that is, outside of himself. An unconverted person does perceive that he is empty within, but he does not know where his true and complete joy is to be found. Nevertheless, he must have joy, or else his heart will succumb. Thus, he seeks joy in creature delights, as everyone seeks that toward which he is most inclined and that which is most opportune. One person thinks that money will yield joy, whereas another person expects it from costly apparel, homes, furnishings, and gardens; another thinks that food and drink will yield this; again, others seek it in high positions and governmental offices, and some expect it from love and wisdom. Thus, every person labors for his own gain and with his own objective in view. However, this does not yield satisfaction. The heart even grieves when it laughs, and all such laughter ends in eternal sorrow and weeping. The Lord, however, causes His favorites to see that all this is nothing but vanity, sin, and sorrow, and that all joy and happiness consist in having communion with Him. This is the spiritual joy which we shall now discuss. In considering this joy we shall deal with 1) the nature of this joy, 2) the opposite of this joy, 3) that which resembles this joy, and 4) the parameters of this joy. The Nature of Spiritual Joy
We shall first of all consider the nature of this spiritual joy. This spiritual joy consists in a delightful motion of the soul, generated by the Holy Spirit in the heart of believers, whereby He convinces them of the felicity of their state, causes them to enjoy the benefits of the covenant of grace, and assures them of their future felicity. The seat of this joy is the soul or the heart. “Thou hast put gladness in my heart” (Psalms 4:7); “... your heart shall rejoice” (John 16:22). This happiness is not one of appearance only, but is in truth; it does not consist in external display, but rather in possession. It is not something external which delights the external senses, but it penetrates to the internal, that is, to the innermost recesses of the soul, the intellect, the will, and the affections.
However, the heart of all men does not partake of this joy, but only the heart of believers. “Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit” (Isaiah 65:14); “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous” (Psalms 33:1); “Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee” (Psalms 70:4). No one can manufacture this joy himself, but it is an inexpressible work of grace by God the Holy Spirit. “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy” (Romans 15:13); “For the kingdom of God is ... joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17); “Make me to hear joy and gladness” (Psalms 51:8). For this reason David calls the Lord, “God my exceeding joy” (Psalms 43:4). If someone desires this joy, let him be sensibly convinced that he cannot manufacture this himself and that he is also unworthy to receive it; let him thus come through Christ to the Father and pray in His Name, “Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil” (Psalms 90:15); “Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul” (Psalms 86:4). This joy pertains to being reconciled with God -- to their being the recipients of His grace, goodness, love, and benevolence, He being their God and Father, their portion, delight, rest, keeper, and felicity, and Jesus Christ being their Savior. This is manifested by the expression of rejoicing in the Lord. “Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King” (Psalms 149:2); “I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy” (Psalms 31:7); “Be glad in the Lord” (Psalms 32:11); “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9); “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:47). This joy is generated whenever they perceive and believe that God has bestowed a blessing upon them in His favor. Also the preciousness of the gospel, the benefits of the covenant of grace, and temporal deliverances and blessings bring forth this joy. They do so because they perceive that in all these things the Lord is manifesting His favor toward them. “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart” (Psalms 119:111); “... Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16); “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. In Thy Name shall they rejoice all the day: and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted” (Psalms 89:15-16). In addition to the benefits which believers may enjoy here, they also have the promise of joy in heaven which is inexpressibly more excellent. Oh, how great is that treasure! How blessed is such a man who has been chosen, who is led for this purpose; what reason such a person has to rejoice! Therefore, rejoice in hope (Romans 12:12). From that which has been said, it is evident what the nature of true spiritual joy is. This will be all the more evident when we consider the opposite of spiritual joy, as well as that which resembles and qualifies it. The Opposite of Spiritual Joy: Sorrow The second aspect to be considered is the opposite of or that which is contrary to joy, which is sorrow -- not only the sorrow of the ungodly for whom weeping and gnashing of teeth are prepared, but also the sorrow of believers. God’s children do not always have joy here; it has been foretold that they will cry, weep mournfully, and be sorrowful (John 16:22); they must experience that often they mingle their drink with their tears (Psalms 102:9). This can be due to being very far from God, weakness of faith, fear of not being a partaker of Jesus, the power of corruption (which not only assaults them, but may also hold them captive for a long period of time), the assaults of Satan, or various temporal afflictions and tribulations. Therefore, their tears are their meat day and night and they pour out their soul within them (Psalms 42:3-4); their life is thus spent with grief, and their years with sighing (Psalms 31:10). However, the Lord does not allow them to sink away in sorrow. He is with them when they must go through fire and water, so that neither the rivers overflow them nor the fire burns them. He will yet refresh them in their sorrow, and afterwards cause their darkness to lift. He will by renewal comfort those who mourn and lovingly wipe the tears from their eyes. He allures them, speaks to their heart, and kisses them with the kisses of His mouth. This is the promise: “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (John 16:22).
Now compare sorrow and joy with each other and observe the great difference between the two. From this can be deduced the exceeding excellency and desirability of this joy, as well as the inexpressible goodness of God that a people who are only worthy of eternal sorrow, are by Him filled and will eternally be filled with such exceeding joy. Furthermore, since God’s children encounter many sorrows in this life, no one ought to be too dejected as if they were no child of God, for what they encounter is no different from what all God’s children encounter. It can also be that one is sorrowful, humble, and ashamed over sin, mourns over the absence of sweet communion with God, and nevertheless rejoices in the assurance of his state, as well as in the promise that his sorrow will be turned into joy. He conducts himself wisely who accustoms himself to be joyful by faith, even though he weeps due to oppression.
Counterfeit Spiritual Joy The third matter to be considered is that which resembles this joy: counterfeit joy. The difference between worldly joy pertaining to earthly goods and the commission of sins, and this spiritual joy is too radical to be considered here. The joy of temporal believers, however, resembles spiritual joy in an external sense, even though they differ entirely in nature. Temporal believers are also joyful at times. “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it” (Matthew 13:20; cf. Luke 8:13). Their objective is spiritual, for it pertains to the gospel, having Christ as a Savior, entering into heaven, being numbered among the godly, being loved and praised by the godly, etc. The apostle speaks about the object of the joy of temporal believers in Hebrews 6:4-5 :? “... those who were once enlightened” [those who came from the darkness of Jewry and heathendom to the knowledge of divine truth] “and have tasted of the heavenly gift” [those who have had a clear perception of the desirability and glory of heavenly and evangelical truths, so that they rejoice in seeing their beauty, since the viewing of a glorious object is delightful even though one does not possess it], “were made partakers of the Holy Ghost” [not the indwelling of the Spirit, but rather His common gifts], “and have tasted the good word of God”[who, in contemplating upon the blessedness of those who are partakers of the forgiveness of sins, God’s grace, and all the glorious promises found in the Word, imagine themselves to be partakers of them and thus flatter themselves with this and rejoice in it] “and the powers of the world to come” [who, due to their knowledge of the Word, contemplate upon eternal felicity, viewing it in a natural manner -- who, without any misgivings, consider themselves to be heirs of salvation on the basis of such imaginations].
Such is the joy of temporal believers; now compare to this the joy of true believers. You will observe that in both cases the object of their joy is the same, but that, nevertheless, the difference is as great between the natural and the spiritual as between imagination and truth. This difference needs to be carefully defined so that those who have counterfeit joy may be convicted, and those who possess true joy may be assured and, with liberty, make progress in this true joy.
First, all true joy proceeds from faith as a result of the immediate operation of the Holy Spirit, even though it varies greatly in degree. Therefore, all joy which does not proceed from receiving Christ and union with Him -- by which one becomes a partaker of all His benefits -- is counterfeit joy. “... in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). The eunuch went on his way rejoicing after he had become a believer (Acts 8:37
Secondly, all true joy is experienced in the presence of God and in communion with God as their reconciled God. “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:47); “Rejoice in the Lord alway” (Php 4:4); “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous” (Psalms 32:11); “My meditation of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord” (Psalms 104:34). All counterfeit joy pertains to matters pleasant to the person and which do not end in God. Although true believers also rejoice in their happiness and in the matters which they have or anticipate, they do not remain with the matters only; that is impossible for them. Rather, in the enjoyment of these matters, they find themselves in the presence of God.
Thirdly, all true joy makes the soul holier, drawing the soul away from all that is not God and does not please God -- from sin. It enlarges the heart and makes them willing to do God’s will out of love with humility. “... the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10); “I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Psalms 119:32).
It cannot but be that when one is joyful, there will also be love. One cannot but rejoice in a received benefit -- rejoice in having communion with God. Furthermore, it cannot be different but that the heart will be inclined to manifest gratitude by surrendering oneself to the service of the Lord. When David joyfully exclaimed, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust,” he then exclaimed immediately, “I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength” (Psalms 18:2
If someone considers himself to be joyful and is nevertheless not tender in his walk, but instead lives in the world and yields to his lusts, doing everything with the wrong objective and in seeking self, his joy is not a joy in God, but is a counterfeit joy. However, whenever joy proceeds from faith, functions in communion with God, and begets tenderness, willingness, actual opposition to sin, and the practice of godliness -- then there is true joy. Let the heart of such a person rejoice, and endeavor to continually live in this joy. The Parameters for this Joy: the Fear of God The fourth thing to be considered is what qualifies this joy as being true: the fear of God. Since believers still have the old Adam within them, and the devil conspires and leaves no stone unturned to cause them to fall, he who has spiritual joy needs to be on guard that, upon experiencing joy, corruptions do not arise from any given direction. When a believer rejoices in the Lord, he must give heed on the one hand that he forget not his insignificance and sinfulness and become irreverent toward the Lord; rather, he should remain reverent and humble in having fellowship with God. On the other hand, however, he must give heed not to become careless in watching against sin, for when rejoicing he will be vulnerable for this corruption. When a person, in rejoicing, deviates to the one side or the other, his joy will immediately cease. Therefore, whoever wishes to live in this joy ought to endeavor greatly to fear God. He must reverence Him and be on guard against sin. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalms 2:11). From that which has been said it can be deduced what spiritual joy is. At the same time we must not understand by this joy the extraordinary illumination, being drawn up into heaven, and the elated experiences which some of God’s children occasionally experience. Not all, but only a few experience these; and these do not remain but again disappear. Therefore a weak believer ought not to think that, since he has not experienced this ecstatic joy, he therefore has never been joyful and ought to strive for nothing but this joy only. Rather, by joy we understand the cheerful, joyous disposition which issues forth from faith in God. Each believer must seek for this and acquaint himself with God, so that it may be the general trend of his life to be glad and joyful in God. This is commanded: “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Php 4:4). This is the promise: “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. In Thy name shall they rejoice all the day” (Psalms 89:15-16). This was Paul’s desire and practice: “... that I might finish my course with joy” (Acts 20:24). Happy is he who may have this happy cheerfulness in view, seek it, and accustom himself to it.
Exhortation to Believers to Seek Spiritual Joy
Since believers generally aspire so little to this cheerfulness, considering it to be a matter too high for them, and spend much of their time in heaviness and sorrow, we shall seek to lift them up and endeavor to persuade them to seek this spiritual joy.
Therefore, come believers, “Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing” (Psalms 100:2). Have you not tolerated this heaviness and sorrow long enough and spent your time being melancholy? Recognize and acknowledge the grace which is in you -- however little it may be. Consider the disposition of other children of God, not dissimilar to yours, and God’s dealings with them. Be in submission to the measure of grace the Lord bestows upon you; do not continue in sin. You and the Lord know that your sins are a heavy burden to you; therefore, go with them to the Surety. Let neither unbelief nor inadvertent ignorance concerning the grace which is in you, nor a coveting of greater grace apart from submission, cause you to remain sorrowful any longer. Come, allow me to take you by the hand and instruct you in this matter. Permit yourself to be persuaded, be compliant, and do not resist.
First, this sorrow and being double-minded is contradictory to your state, and is harmful in every way, for:
(1) It is a dishonor to God, your Father. Apart from the fact that it issues forth from a lack of faith, and thus strengthens unbelief, it prevents God from being glorified or thanked. It is also capable of causing others to have a prejudice toward God, as if He were but a barren wilderness to His people, treats them too harshly, and gives them no occasion to be somewhat refreshed, whereas He is, nevertheless, so good and extraordinarily benevolent.
(2) It is capable of deterring natural men from godliness. Man’s nature does not find delight in sorrow, and cannot imagine that godliness and salvation could consist of sorrow -- and indeed, it does not. This hinders them if they begin to entertain thoughts about conversion. See to it that you are neither the cause of godliness being evil spoken of, nor hinder anyone from being saved.
(3) To mourn over sin at the appropriate time, and in an appropriate measure and manner is needful, and does not prevent one from living cheerfully. However, those who accustom themselves to be sorrowful, consume the strength of their body, and frequently acquire an illness from which they suffer their entire lifetime. This ailment is in turn the cause of sorrow and melancholy, and this sorrow in turn worsens the ailment. “... a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22); “... by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” (Proverbs 15:13).
(4) It is very harmful for spiritual life, injuring it. It not only impedes its growth, but exhausts it; if God by His omnipotence did not preserve it, this sorrow would extinguish it. If one gives in to such mourning, he can progress so far that he finds no delight in anything except in mourning and in consuming his own heart. He is then not fit for anything -- not for prayer, believing, battling and overcoming sin, the practice of virtue, nor for being beneficial to other people -- and makes himself unfit to be restored by the common means, since he refuses to be comforted (cf. Psalms 77:2). “A wounded spirit who can bear?” (Proverbs 18:14). Therefore conduct yourself valiantly, for it is as easy to yield to a mournful frame, as it is to collapse for a person who is fainting. However, the harmful consequences are too dangerous. Therefore, lift up your head and endeavor to break out of this.
Secondly, believers (even the most feeble) are entitled to and have reason for joy, for it is one of the promises of the covenant of grace. Let those of the world be troubled and fearful, and tremble about their present and future state. You, however, who have been delivered from the devil, hell, and wrath, for whom God is a reconciled God and is your portion, who have been adopted as a child of God, and have become partakers of justification, sanctification, and eternal glorification, what reason do you yet have for sorrow? If you say, “This is still lacking, namely, the actual and effectual enjoyment of all those promised spiritual benefits; and not only the comforts, but also the deliverance from sin itself,” then I respond, “Is God’s promise null and void with you? Are future benefits of lesser value because they are reserved for the future, where they will be an eternal and unchangeable reality -- as if in the future you would be able to get by without them? Is not God a God of truth to you? Would His promises be able to fail? Or do you consider the promises of future blessings to be excuses for not presently fulfilling the promises that supplicants will be heard, that hungry ones will be filled, etc. Be ashamed that you entertain such thoughts about the only wise God who makes all things well at His time.” If a great inheritance has been bequeathed to someone, and the testator subsequently dies, would it then be considered worthless because he does not yet see and have the treasures in his hands, knowing, however, with certainty that he will receive them within a short time? Behold, a natural man will convince you. Therefore, value the excellency of the promised benefits, the infallibility of the testament which is confirmed by the death of the testator. Rejoice therefore in your title to the inheritance and in the certainty of future possession, even though you do not enjoy it as yet. “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous” (Psalms 97:11-12). It is sown, and it has been sown for you, and therefore you will also harvest at the appointed time; rejoice in this hope: “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple” (Psalms 65:4).
Thirdly, God is pleased with the joy of His children. It is His will that they delight themselves, value the benefits, fully trust in His Word and in His promise, jubilate, leap for joy, and sing His praises with joyful and singing lips. Cheerfulness and joyfulness are a delight to Him. “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalms 22:3-4); “Thou meetest him that rejoiceth” (Isaiah 64:5). Is it your desire to do something which is pleasing to God? Is God’s nearness, His presence, and your familiar encounters with Him, your desire and your delight? Accustom yourself then to live joyfully by faith.
Fourthly, to be joyful in God is heaven. In heaven there is neither weeping nor sorrow; there is nothing but eternal, exceedingly great, and inexpressible joy. If you could but see and hear how joyful the inhabitants of heaven are, how they jubilate and sing, your heart would indeed be stirred. If you desire heaven, you must find delight in joy, for what else would you do in heaven where there are none but those who are joyful and where there is nothing but joy? Eternal felicity is therefore referred to as joy: “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21). If there is joy in hope, what joy will possession engender? Therefore, let your conversation be in heaven, and begin this heavenly work, that is, to be joyful. Or is being joyful such a heavy and distasteful matter that you would need many persuasive arguments to be stirred up to be joyful? Our nature is naturally inclined toward joy, and every person desires joy. Since you, however, have abundant reason to be joyful, would you then, nonetheless, be sorrowful?
Fifthly, you are very much in need of this joy, for in this joy there is strength against your enemies, as well as for your work. “For the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Believers, there is yet much to be done by you. There is a world that still needs to be conquered, a devil that still needs to be battled, and flesh that still needs to be overcome. You are yet in need of the ornament of holiness; faith, hope, and love still need to be strengthened and increased. There are yet people who need to be converted, and you yourself have yet to become the luster and the glory of the church. You must as yet place a footprint in this earth so that others may know that you have been here. How will you accomplish all this without being cheerful and joyful? A melancholy person is a breeding place for all sorts of sins. The flesh, the world, and the devil have great power and advantage over such a person. Such persons will very readily neglect grace received. Carelessly, they act as if present grace does not exist, and thus a melancholy person will be unfit to offer resistance. There is strength in joy, however, and a joyful person can avoid many assaults which then have no opportunity to arise; and if there are such assaults, a joyful person will be able to turn them away with little difficulty. A joyful person will very readily despise the things of this world and cross providences do not oppress him very much. The practice of virtue will be a delight to him, and his joy will make it so attractive; yes, it will make him attractive. He will be suited to woo others, comfort those that mourn, and stir up those who are lax; everything suits him and he is desirous to do everything. Therefore “be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalms 32:11). The Believer’s Difficulties Answered
Objection #1: A mournful person may object by saying, “How can a person rejoice who commits as many sins as I commit? That is impossible.”
Answer: The cause and foundation for your joy must not be found within yourself and your virtuousness, but outside of yourself and in Christ. If a person had to wait with being joyful in the Lord until he is without sin, he would never rejoice his entire lifetime, for the most eminent saint sees more sin in himself than does a little one in grace, since the larger measure of light reveals to him that which is lacking in his virtuousness, whereas others may see little of it. When someone’s sins are a heavy burden to him and grieve him; if he then flees to Jesus and receives His atonement, and surrendering himself to Him to be justified and sanctified; if it is the desire and delight of His heart to live a life pleasing unto the Lord; and if he may be convinced of the motive for such exercise and such a disposition -- he has reason for joy. If he does not rejoice, it is evident that he still cleaves too much to the old covenant of works and desires to be justified by works. This reveals that he is not engaged in believing God upon His Word and promises, who declares those to be blessed who do so. This shows that he wants to teach God how He should deal with him. Therefore it also pleases God in turn to withhold him from being enabled to rejoice in God. All these sins are not commensurate with being a child of God. Therefore, be fearful of conducting yourself in this way. Accustom yourself to rejoice by faith in your title to and promise of salvation, even if you cannot do so with a strong sense of delight. Know it to be your duty.
Objection #2: How can I rejoice if I am not assured of being a partaker of Christ? I am not assured of this.
Answer: Here again is a misconception, perhaps even a subtle expression of resentment. Perhaps you do not wish to consider yourself assured except there be an extraordinary declaration and impression from God to remove simultaneously all inner objections and immediately lift up your soul to be joyful about her state.
You will most likely wait in vain for this. God rarely -- and especially in the case of fretful persons who refuse to be comforted -- does this. The normal way to assurance consists on the one hand in giving heed to the Word of God, and on the other hand in comparing yourself with this Word, coming thus to a conclusion -- a conclusion made in the presence of God while praying, believing, and reasoning. This is the manner by which a man is assured. To that end we have previously, at various occasions and in various ways, convinced believers of this by presenting the marks of grace to them.
Objection #3: Another person may perhaps say, “I have indeed been assured (at least I thought this to be so), and I have indeed rejoiced in the Lord; however, it has all disappeared again, and I therefore think that I have deceived myself. I therefore do not dare to do so again, for I might once more deceive myself.”
Answer: We have dealt with this by demonstrating above what the essential nature of true joy is.
Objection #4: One must mourn, for God commands it and promises to dwell with such.
Answer (1) God dwells with those that mourn; however, He does so to comfort them, in order that the outcome of their mourning may be their rejoicing.
(2) There is a great difference between being mournful or being melancholy and despondent. The Lord delights when one mournfully humbles himself, tearfully seeks grace, and is active by faith to lift himself up again; being melancholy, however, is displeasing to God and men. Therefore mourn at the appropriate time, but flee from habitual melancholy and accustom yourself to be joyful.
Exhortation to Use the Means to Attain to this Joy To that end you should first of all continually exercise faith in Christ, reflect upon the truths pertaining to the atonement and God’s way in which He leads man to salvation, and put your trust in Jesus, leaning upon Him. To entrust yourself thus to Him, without seeing Him or apart from any feeling, is the way that leads to joy (1 Peter 1:8).
Secondly, continue to read and acknowledge the Word to be what it really is: the Word of God. Acknowledge that it addresses itself at that particular moment to you. Search for the promises, deem them to be unbreakable, and when you apply them to your soul as such, you will experience joy. “For Thy word hath quickened me” (Psalms 119:50).
Thirdly, pray much, and acquaint yourself with the Lord by praying to Him, communing with Him, making request to Him, and laying before Him all that you lack and desire, especially your desire for joy. “Make me to hear joy and gladness” (Psalms 51:8); “O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalms 90:14).
Pursue the promise and lift up your heart to the truth that whatever you will pray for in Christ’s Name, He will indeed give you. While praying thus, the soul will find herself more often in a joyful frame.
Fourthly, engage much in holy contemplation and meditation. Reflect upon who and what you are, the ways the Lord has led you hitherto, and upon your former mourning, seeking, and tears. Reflect upon the comforts and deliverances which the Lord has frequently given you, upon the benefits of the covenant of grace (each individually), and upon future glory and all that the soul will forever enjoy there. This is suitable to cause the soul quietly to rejoice. “My meditation of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord” (Psalms 104:34).
Fifthly, be much on guard against yielding to a sinful routine in your life. Even if there are no great falls, this yielding, this drowsy carelessness, and this departing from God will readily rob us of this joy. Rather, one ought to refrain from unrighteousness, and, upon falling, arise each time again and immediately run to the fountain once more; this will, time and again, quicken joyfulness. May the God of our exceeding joy gladden you! Amen.