Joy – “Chara” – is a gratitude and thanksgiving produced by the Spirit, something that is produced in man by God. Thanksgiving is not something that always shows but that always is. It is inner gratefulness. God’s love produces joy.
Galatians 5:22, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.” The first three that are mentioned love, joy and peace-are produced by God inwardly. The love of God starts by creating joy in the souls of His children; it is manifested as a spirit of praise that is expressed freely.
This type of thanksgiving is quite different than what the natural man might think. It is something that the Holy Spirit does deep in the heart of a believer. Therefore, one can not thank God beyond what he has been taught in the Word of God.
“Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7). The believer becomes strengthened with God’s Word. This takes him beyond just a superficial understanding of what it means to give thanks.
Again, thanksgiving is not an outward “showing” but an inward “knowing.”
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