The Power of Sharing Your Joy with Others

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

Several years ago, an outdoor conference was held for a particular Christian denomination that discouraged expressions of joy in worship, like saying “Amen” or “Hallelujah.” So instead, attendees were given helium-filled balloons and told to release them when they felt like expressing joy.

Throughout the first day, balloons were released one by one as people wanted to express their joy. Yet, by the end of the day when the conference was over, more than a third of the balloons were unreleased.

It’s interesting how when expressing our joy is suppressed, we’re automatically less joyful. Imagine you’re having a great day when suddenly, you walk into a room full of people with somber faces. In that moment, your mood is very quickly going to change.

God gave us the ability to express joy not just for ourselves, but to show outwardly so we can spread that joy to others. So let the joy that’s inside of you be seen on the outside. Don’t be afraid to share a smile and a “hello” with someone today who needs it. Share joy with your expressions and acts and you’ll impart the fruit of God’s Spirit to others!

Prayer Challenge

Pray and ask God to help you express joy as a fruit of His Spirit inside of you.

Questions for Thought

Think of a time when you were having a bad day and someone expressed joy to you. How did it make you feel?