Fruitful Living
The fruit of joy
But the fruit of the Spirit is joy – Galatians 5:22
INTRODUCTION
As those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, our harvest is to consist of many tasty clusters of the fruit of the Spirit, comprising nine essential components, including JOY. The fruit of Joy is one that the world is missing, hence the increased importance of bearing this much-needed fruit to fill the gaping void.
“A merry heart,” the experience of inner peace and happiness, is what joy is all about. This inner disposition and outlook on life, this true joy, promotes health and well-being, or as the Bible says it, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” – Nehemiah 8:10. This is why Solomon said, “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” – Proverbs 15:13.
The existence of a day-to-day positive attitude will produce joy. This joy will accompany us wherever we go in life, on whatever mission God gives us to achieve.
1. JOY AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
Our joy is uncontainable when we think about the great gifts of God in Christ. We delve deeply into a relationship with Christ and the intimacy is glorious. But intimacy-physical or spiritual-is the language of two, and it cannot really be communicated to a group. Our personal worship will, from time to time, provide us with such a warm camaraderie that we will feel at a loss to define it. We are to declare our joy – our praises for Him who saved us and called us into service. Salvation is our pedigree, joy our vocation.
2. JOY, THE REVEALING OF ANGELS
Joy is a close relative of self-control. It is the automatic response of heaven every time we stand true in the midst of any trial. God is looking for those who can stand up in a moral onslaught and keep the faith. When we prove ourselves true, heaven takes an interest in our character. Listen carefully after you have stood for truth, and you will hear the fluttering of angel wings. Joy is heaven’s response to godly courage.
3. JOY, THE REWARD OF ENDURANCE
Courage often precedes joy. The great celebration of Esther 8 follows on the heels of Esther’s courage. In Esther 4:16, Esther sends words to her cousin Mordecai and says, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” She acted in a spirit of courage because she knew that what she was about to do was right. The cost to her personally was not as great a concern to her as her obedience to principle. Esther is a model for all those who cherish truth. What is the result of such determination? For us, it is the inner joy that wells up when we know we have chosen to live for Christ.
4. JOY AND MY SERVICE TO OTHERS
It is impossible to witness the salvation of God and not experience joy. Joy is not just something we give to God to keep Him happy with our positive attitude. Joy is the way we minister to others. When we are face-to-face with the presence of God, with God’s work in our lives, we respond with joy. And in the process, we lead others to joy in God as well. Our joy should be contagious.
Joy erupts from all who observe the victories of God. When John Newton saw all that God was doing in his life, he sang:
Amazing grace!
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
5. JOY AND ITS PLACE IN OUR PERSONAL WORSHIP
Joy and pain are both elements of focus in our worship. Pain creates a need for God, and joy is the footprint of His presence in our lives. Joy is the business of heaven. In Luke 15 it is the recovery of something that was lost that brings about that joy. A lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son are all found once again. Joy is inevitably the result of the lost being found. It always sets the angels singing, and it works that same kind of wonder here on earth.
6. JOY THE INFALLIBLE PROOF OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Hard times come, but these are the times that really instruct. Hard times are the classrooms of the school of life. Look at what our joy teaches others when God is our sole sufficiency. Those who have little are really those who have much and are filled with praise even in times of difficulties as we read in Habakkuk 3:17-18:
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.
As good Christians we also need to sing in times of failure. JOY is not dependent on the sumptuousness of our circumstances but on the richness of Him who orders all our lives. When God is present in our lives, we show our joy to others, no matter what our situation in life is.
7. THE JOY OF CREATIVITY
Our world brims with the creative touch of God. He created everything from nothing and brought about the very foundations of the earth. When God finished each and every day of creation, He remarked that it was good. When we stop and survey His created order, we can only exalt in His work and cry, “It is good!”. In light of His grand design, our purpose is to do His work and our response is to live in joy.
CONCLUSION
Joy is more than happiness. It is the inward gladness of heart that comes from knowing and experiencing the presence and perspective of God. This means knowing that God lives in us and is able to keep what we have entrusted to Him, never minding what we are experiencing outwardly. Psalm 46; Neh. 8:10; 2 Tim.1:12 all talk about this kind of inward gladness. This is why Paul will ask us to rejoice in all circumstances and turn whatever problems we have to God in Phil.4:7. Joy is God’s presence within, expressing His character outwardly.
Fanny Crosby, the 19th Century blind and prolific hymn writer gives us a good summary of how to preserve our joy in her classical hymn, Always Cheerful.
- Let our hearts be always cheerful, Why should murmuring enter there?
When our kind and loving Father Makes us children of his care.
Refrain: Always cheerful, always cheerful Sunshine all around we see;
Full of beauty is the path of duty, Cheerful we may always be.
- With his gentle hand to lead us, Should the powers of sin avail,
He has promised grace to help us; Never can his promise fail.
- When we turn aside from duty, Comes the pain of doing wrong;
And a shadow, creeping o’er us, Checks the rapture of our song.
- Oh, the good are always happy, And their path is ever bright;
Let us heed the blessed counsel, Shun the wrong and love the right.
Culled from the Fruit of the Spirit Bible.
Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
STAY BLESSED!
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Fruitful Living
Has man lost the essence of his creation? A reflective call to rediscover our divine purpose (Part 1)
Introduction: Rediscoveringour purpose
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and ask for His mercy. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
In today’s increasingly materialistic and turbulent world, a profound question echoes louder than ever: Has man lost the essence of his creation? It is a question that compels every thinking soul to pause and reflect deeply.
In the midst of scientific breakthroughs, booming technology, and economic pursuits, we must ask ourselves: are we fulfilling the sacred purpose for which we were created? Are we still living as stewards of Allah on earth, or have we strayed from our divine assignment?
This article explores the Qur’anic foundation of man’s creation, the noble position he holds, and the deviation from this divine path in modern times. It further calls for a return to spiritual consciousness and outlines practical steps to help realign mankind with his intended purpose.
Man: Allah’s Vicegerent on Earth
The Qur’an states: “And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent (Khalifah)…’” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30).
This declaration marks the beginning of man’s honorable journey on earth. Mankind was created from clay, as recorded in Surah Al-Hijr:
“And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. And the jinn We created before from scorching fire. And [mention] when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.’ So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:26-29).
This prostration of angels was not to worship Adam, but to recognize the honor Allah had bestowed upon man. It signified a spiritual hierarchy in which man, though of earthly origin, carries a divine trust and responsibility.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this dignity. He taught that every human is born upon the natural disposition (fitrah) and bears the potential to fulfill their purpose as a servant of Allah and custodian of His creation.
The Purpose of Creation
Allah did not create man in vain. The Qur’an states clearly: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56).
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah, 98:5).
Another profound verse underscores that life was not created aimlessly:
“And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.”(Surah Sad, 38:27).
These verses convey that creation is intentional, meaningful, and divinely ordained. The essence of man’s creation lies in his recognition of Allah, his conscious submission to the Divine Will, and his dedication to a life of worship, service, and ethical living.
Worship in Islam is not confined to rituals alone but extends to every aspect of human existence—how we earn, govern, lead our families, engage with society, and preserve the environment. Every righteous deed done with sincerity for Allah’s pleasure becomes an act of worship.
Imam Al-Ghazali explains in Ihya Ulum al-Din that true worship stems from knowledge of Allah and a heart that submits lovingly to His will. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah likewise stresses that man’s highest honor lies in fulfilling the purpose of servitude (`ubudiyyah) to Allah, which brings inner peace and divine elevation.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) demonstrated this perfect balance of worship and engagement in worldly affairs. He was a husband, a leader, a statesman, and a worshipper who said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if they are few.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6464)
Living in harmony with this divine purpose not only brings personal fulfillment but also collective peace. Conversely, neglecting it results in moral confusion, injustice, and spiritual emptiness.
Therefore, recognizing and living by our purpose is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the key to real success in this life and salvation in the Hereafter.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
Fruitful Living
Trusting God with our anxieties (final)
Jesus not only instructs us not to worry — He explains why worrying is counterproductive to our well-being:
❖ Worry is blind. It refuses to learn from nature, history, or personal experience. Birds and flowers testify to God’s faithfulness. The history of Israel is filled with God’s miraculous provision — from Egypt to the Red Sea to the Promised Land (Deut. 8:14–15).
❖ Worry refuses to learn the lesson of life. Time and again, God has helped us bear the unbearable and overcome the insurmountable. He strengthens us even when we reach the breaking point — and keeps us from breaking.
❖ Worry is irreligious. It stems not from our external circumstances, but from a heart full of fear and distrust. Yet Scripture declares:“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
The antidote to worry: El shaddai
Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” One of the most comforting names of God is El Shaddai, which first appears in Genesis 17:1 and appears 218 times in the Bible.
❖ El means “Strong One.”
❖ Shaddai means “The Breasted One.”
Together, El Shaddai paints a picture of God as:
❖ Our Strong Nourisher
❖ Strength Giver
❖ Satisfier
❖ All-Bountiful Supplier
❖ Fulfiller of Needs
❖ The Life-Giver who brings dead things back to life
(e.g., Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac at 150 and 90 years respectively)
In knowing who God is, we find the courage to release our anxieties. If He is truly El Shaddai — strong, sufficient, and sustaining — then we are safe in His hands.
Practical steps to peace
In Philippians 4:6–7, we are given a divine prescription for peace:
1. Stop being anxious and fretful. Recognize the emotional and spiritual toll of worry.
2. Go to God in prayer about everything. Nothing is too big or small.
3. Pray for yourself. God is your Father — your relationship with Him is personal.
4. Thank Him as you pray. Gratitude builds faith and reminds us of His past faithfulness.
When we do this, God’s peace — not the world’s peace — will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
CONCLUSION
We are living in uncertain times. Pressures abound and anxieties easily multiply. But as children of God, we are called to walk a different path — one of quiet confidence, steady trust, and daily surrender.
God’s Word is clear: worry doesn’t help — but trust in God brings peace. Let us shift our focus from fear to faith, from anxiety to adoration. Let us anchor our hearts in the unchanging character of El Shaddai — our Almighty God — and rest in His perfect care.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
