我花不少时间和青少年在一起，也花不少时间去明白他们使用的词汇，因为青少年喜欢为词汇赋予新的意思，甚至造出一些新词来。
我喜欢琢磨一个词的最深层意思是什么。当开始想到“喜乐”这个词时，我查了一下词典。“喜乐”的一般定义是“由幸福安康或成功而引发的一种情感”。所以，当我们与所爱之人共度美好时光时，当欣赏艺术或看到令人激动的场景时，当我们完成有挑战的任务以及诸如此类时，都会感受到喜乐。
但是，当情况并不乐观、完美或成功时，能否喜乐呢？喜乐是否只在顺境时才有的反应呢？
圣经中的喜乐是圣灵的果子，它是神的爱在我们里面成长的印证。对一个在耶稣基督里的信徒来说，喜乐远不止是对美好时光的短暂反应。在我们生命的各种季节和境况中，喜乐便被培养、修剪，和收成。当耶稣将我们从罪中释放，用所有的痛苦和患难为我们换得新生命时，祂就奠定了喜乐的根基。在基督的得胜中所得的喜乐，在乎我们与祂有个怎样的关系。这就是我们所说的喜乐，这就是我们所要培养的喜乐！
主啊，喜乐是祢透过祢的受死和复活赐给我们的礼物。求祢继续使这喜乐的礼物在我们里面成长，好让这喜乐的果子在我们生命中越来越盛放。在祢的平安、爱，和喜乐中祈求。阿们。
加拉太书 5:13-26
13 弟兄们，你们蒙召是要得自由，只是不可将你们的自由当做放纵情欲的机会，总要用爱心互相服侍。
14 因为全律法都包在“爱人如己”这一句话之内了。
15 你们要谨慎，若相咬相吞，只怕要彼此消灭了。
16 我说，你们当顺着圣灵而行，就不放纵肉体的情欲了。
17 因为情欲和圣灵相争，圣灵和情欲相争，这两个是彼此相敌，使你们不能做所愿意做的。
18 但你们若被圣灵引导，就不在律法以下。
19 情欲的事都是显而易见的，就如奸淫、污秽、邪荡、
20 拜偶像、邪术、仇恨、争竞、忌恨、恼怒、结党、纷争、异端、
21 嫉妒、醉酒、荒宴等类。我从前告诉你们，现在又告诉你们：行这样事的人必不能承受神的国。
22 圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、
23 温柔、节制；这样的事没有律法禁止。
24 凡属基督耶稣的人，是已经把肉体连肉体的邪情私欲同钉在十字架上了。
25 我们若是靠圣灵得生，就当靠圣灵行事。
26 不要贪图虚名，彼此惹气，互相嫉妒。
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22-23
I spend a lot of time with teenagers. I also spend time trying to figure out the words they’re using sometimes, because teens like to give words new meanings and even come up with new words.
I like wondering what lies at the heart of a word. When I started to think about the word joy, I looked it up in the dictionary. The general definition of joy was listed as “an emotion evoked by well-being or success.” So we can feel joy when we have good times with people we love, when we appreciate art or view some breathtaking scenery, when we accomplish something challenging, and more.
But where does joy fit in when situations are not happy, beautiful, or successful? Is joy just a happy response to good times?
Biblical joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, the evidence of God’s love growing in us. For a believer in Jesus Christ, joy is more than a fleeting response to happy times. Joy is cultivated, pruned, and harvested throughout all the seasons and circumstances of our lives. Jesus laid the foundation of joy when he freed us from sin, with all its pain and suffering, and made new life possible for us. Joy in Christ’s success lies at the heart of who we are in Christ. This is the joy we claim. This is the joy we cultivate!
Lord, joy is a gift you offer us through your death and resurrection. Continue to grow the gift of joy in us so your fruit is evident in our lives. In the peace, love, and joy of Christ we pray. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
