Joy is not an emotion but a state of being. We receive it from God, and we cultivate it—on our own and in community—through orienting toward God and what He says is true, in both our happiness and sadness.

Joy leads us to live in the tension of the already, but not yet. It allows us to acknowledge the griefs of this life while still choosing to live by hope in Jesus, who loves us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20). 

Jesus lived a life filled with joy; Jesus is joy. And if Jesus is joy, then joy is selfless. Joy is loving and kind and gentle and self-controlled (Galatians 5:22–23). Joy is delight—delighting in God and His ways, even when our circumstances and emotions tell us to believe and do something else.

Episode Transcript | Groups Guide

Presented by The Austin Stone Institute and Austin Stone Counseling

Recommended Resources
Episode Resources from The Austin Stone Institute
Untangling Emotions, by J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith

Podcast Production Team

Producer & Host: Lindsay Funkhouser
Content Experts: Shanda Anderson, LPC-S; Brittany Beltran, LPC; Andrew Dealy, LPC
Technical Producer: Aaron Campbell
Podcast Art: Stephen Mancha
Podcast Music: Matt Graham
Liturgy Writer: Sarah Feller
Liturgy Reader: Alex Espinoza
Groups Guide Writer: Erin Feldman