ARE WE RADIANT WITH JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

     Are we radiant with joy in the Holy Spirit? I reiterate the question. Are you—am I—radiant with joy in the Holy Spirit?

     As Christians we are to be different—aren’t we? We've been changed by God from being a sinful person to one saved by grace—isn’t that right?

     I know that sometimes I don’t feel different. I struggle with hurt feelings, with feelings of insecurity, and sometimes I get angry. I’m not sure where all these feelings come from. I pray repeatedly from the depths of my heart for God to change me. I read over and over again Romans 8:26-27:

“In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

     It’s doubtful that any of us will ever totally shed our insecurities. But by looking to God, praying to Him, and reading His Word, we can have joy—real deep down joy in the Holy Spirit, as Paul talked about in Romans 14:17:

“—for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

     Then here's the real clincher whether we can have real deep, down, visible joy in the Holy Spirit. It's found In Psalm 34:5 where David wrote the following:

“Those who look to him are radiant with joy.”

I want to look to him when I have hurt feelings, periods of insecurity, and definitely instances where I feel anger ready to burst out. I want instead to look to Him—to be radiant with joy in the Holy Spirit!