When people think of being full of joy, they think it just means being happy but there is a difference between being happy and being full of joy. Happiness tends to be triggered by events, people, things, places or thoughts and can be rather short-lived. Joy is internal and comes when a person has peace about who they are and maybe even understanding why they are who they are.

True followers of Jesus are people who are full of joy because when Jesus comes into a person’s life He brings peace. We understand that now we individually are new people; we are children of God. We are forgiven, changed and have the promise of eternal life.

Christians all around the world are celebrating Easter this weekend, which is the the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To put it another way, Christians are filled with joy because of what God did for us by sending His Son to die for our sins, and then proving that He was the Son of God by being raised to life. We don’t serve a dead martyr but one who is now at the side of God the Father interceding for us.

In scripture, it says in Matthew 28:8, that the two Marys left the empty tomb “filled with joy”. When Jesus showed Himself to the disciples after He was resurrected, again the scripture says in John 20:20, “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord”. Once a person understands who Jesus is and that He is their living Savior that person can live a life of joy.