God made the world to give us joy

I firmly believe that God wants us all to be joyful and He has surrounded us with beauty. Creation is full of joy, but we are so uncaring about much of the life around us. Each part of creation is important. In "Growing in Joy" Robert Morneau gives 31 short meditations for a life in abundance. Since joy is my vocation within my vocation, I often go back to them. Today I am quoting from one entitled, "A Reward of Creation".

Saint Paul lists joy as one of the signs of the Holy Spirit in our life. To be alive spiritually implies the presence of joy. People who are deeply alive radiate joy. "To perform work well and for it to have a lasting effect, joy is a major ingredient....Joylessness diminishes the possibility of full health of soul, mind, and heart."

Christian joy is, according to Morneau, a gift from God that we call grace.