Joy - Not Just Dishwashing Liquid

I came across another quote recently and was struck with the truth of it.

"Joy is not gush: joy is not jolliness. Joy is simply perfect
acquiescence in God's will, because the soul delights itself in God
himself...rejoice in the will of God, and in nothing else. Bow down your
heads and your hearts before God, and let the will, the blessed will of
God, be done." -Amy Carmichael

Things in your life don't have to be all lined up and going the way you want them to in order for you to have joy. Maybe you lost your job, were late for school last week because of the snow, had a fight with a dear friend, realized that a relationship couldn't be repaired, or simply got up on the wrong side of the bed. You can still have joy (and more importantly, show joy) even when these things are all going wrong and it feels like your world has been turned upside down.

I think the long and short of it is that joy comes directly from trust. If you trust God with your life - past, present, and future - and "acquiesce to His will," you can have true joy in the best and worst of circumstances.

Don't wait for everything to be peachy before you show your inner joy. We have something to offer this world! Now let's get out there and advertise it!