Editorial May 16, 1936 Issue

Joy

Violet Ker Seymer

In the Bible we find joy associated with wisdom, knowledge, obedience, meekness, light. Without these associated qualities we cannot expect to be spiritually joyous. So whoever would increase his joy must first increase his understanding of God, divine Love, and his gratitude to Deity.

When human existence seems to be joyless, meaningless, it may be because joy is being looked for without rather than within. It may be due, for instance, to the belief that something that seems antipathetic is present in our human environment and that something good is absent. Our remedy lies in realizing that nothing material and temporal can either bestow or destroy joy, because joy is spiritual. "Your joy no man taketh from you." In divine Mind there are not drooping, downcast thoughts. Spiritual buoyancy and happiness are ever present and inseparable from their divine source.

What is it that robs humanity of conscious joy? Is it not fear, foolish impulse, false knowledge, human opinion, sorrow? These unreal traits of mortal mind must be dropped before we can even glimpse the nature of joy, much less express it. As we grow willing to let go of oppressive thoughts and feelings we open the door to spiritual joy. When we reach out for the divine leading in all our ways and are ready to give up the unenlightened and often willful sense of what to us seems right or wrong, our confidence in God goes hand in hand with joy.

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