"Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains" (Isa. 49:13). Thus in figurative language the prophet Isaiah exhorts to joy. He gives as the reason, "The Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted."

Of all the manifold gifts bestowed upon man, there is none greater than joy. It is akin to love and the other graces of Spirit. Its companions are naturalness, happiness, and freedom. It always associates with "the garment of praise" (Isa. 61:3). Joy! What a glad sound this word has! The mention of joy lifts thought above the heavy burdens of doubt and discouragement and enables one to soar into the atmosphere of Soul.

Genuine joy is not a fleeting fancy or a mere emotional ecstasy. It is the natural outcome of an unfaltering trust in God's great love and tender mercy. This joy is the normal sequence of one's spiritual realization of his true heritage as the son of God, and this realization is gained through the earnest study and application of Christian Science. In this study much help can be gained by the use of the Concordances to the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, with reference to the words joy, joyful, rejoicing, and happiness.

The master Christian, Christ Jesus, could say to his disciples, and to his followers for all time to come (John 15:10,11): "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." And our Leader says in our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 57): "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it."

Joy cannot exist alone. Its radiance blesses all. The world is greatly in need of this spiritual joy and love. These qualities were beautifully expressed by Christ Jesus as he walked in the midst of the sick and sorrowing and healed them.

Someone may be saying: "My burdens are heavy because I am so weighed down with sorrow and grief. How can I express joy?" This dear one may be ready now to find comfort in the words of our Leader in "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 21), "The heavenly intent of earth's shadows is to chasten the affections, to rebuke human consciousness and turn it gladly from a material, false sense of life and happiness, to spiritual joy and true estimate of being."

In Soul one finds a true sense of being and endless resources. God's children, partaking of His unfailing freshness, comfort, strength, harmony, and buoyancy, can gratefully acknowledge the spiritual truth that joy is ever present. God's outpouring of infinite blessings is here and now. Joy is never intermittent. Joy is constant; it is changeless. It is the evidence of the scientific unity which exists between God and man.

Is the lie of aggressive mental suggestion telling you that joy has withered away because of lack or limitation? Let us hear the stirring words of the prophet Joel. In a period of great drought and famine he said to his people (1:12), "The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men." If one has permitted this state of error to enter thought, let him ponder the entreaty of Joel (2:13), "Turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, ...and of great kindness."

Turning to the infinite provision of Spirit, one sees that insufficiency is not in accord with Truth. It is therefore a finite suggestion, existing only as a mortal belief. Perceiving this, one is ready to accept the higher joys of Spirit, which come as one replaces erroneous thinking with the expectant trust in Love's infinite goodness and bounty.

To cite an illustration, a Christian Scientist some years ago felt that she had lost her joy through the mesmeric influence of false responsibility and debts. Her thoughts were possessed with self-pity, resentment, and discouragement. Then one spring morning she was aroused from this state of apathy by the singing of two birds. This singing went on at intervals for some time before she was sufficiently alert to be even conscious of what was taking place. She then found her thought further awakened by the apparent joy which she witnessed. The previous fall she had been guided to tie some branches of a shrub with heavy cord to a fence nearby. These birds had decided that this was just the material they needed for their new home.

The Scientist's thought was inspired with the strength, as well as the diligence, patience, and perseverance, expressed by these little birds as they tugged at the cord. Following a period of strenuous effort they would fly to a rock nearby, and there they would lift their heads and sing. This they did as if they were telling the whole world how pleasant it was to express the glorious qualities of God.

After watching this tireless procedure for some time, the Scientist was led to cut each piece of cord and let it fall to the ground. As she stepped away she was delighted to see that the birds did not appear anxious or impatient. They both returned to the rock, and there they sang! They then went about picking up the cord and taking it to their nest. On returning to the source of their supply, they would stop and sing. This was repeated many times before the completion of their task.

Through observing this experience the Scientist's thought was lifted. She was able to realize that for months she had dwelt on the side of error instead of Spirit. Then Mrs. Eddy's words on page 507 of Science and Health came to her: "Spirit duly feeds and clothes every object, as it appears in the line of spiritual creation, thus tenderly expressing the fatherhood and motherhood of God." This message illumined her consciousness with the positive conviction of the Father's loving care and provision. It dissolved all sense of resentment, fear, and discouragement. The Christly quality of joy was again at the helm! As she held her thought persistently to the reflecting of these right ideas which God had revealed to her joy-filled consciousness, she soon found herself rich in those things that are so desirable—a secure and happy home, a better income, a richer and more spiritual understanding of Church, and more harmonious and enduring friendships.

The consciousness filled with the joy of Spirit is a fertile soil for the seed of Truth. It dwells serene and unafraid in the assurance of divine Mind's direction. Joy leads to ever-increasing spiritual understanding. Through this we find the constant unfolding of divine Principle, Mind, Soul, Life, Love, and Truth. Thus we are prepared to move outward and upward, ever aware of the joy spoken of in the words of a hymn (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 232),