An unsanctified person may relish and taste some sweetness in the delicious promises and discoveries of the gospel, by a misapplication of them to himself. But this is like the joy of a beggar, dreaming he is a king; but he awakes and finds himself a beggar still.
—John Flavel
Knowing God in Christ brings with it eternal life, imperturbable joy, and heavenly blessedness. These are not merely effects, but the knowing of God is itself immediately a new, eternal, and blessed life.
—Herman Bavinck
…the Christian is assured that though he may be a person who is physically disposed to be thoroughly alarmed, he may experience not only strength but positive joy in the midst of danger.
—Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Sometimes I speak to men and women just as a little girl speaks to her doll. She knows, of course, that the doll does not understand her, but she creates for herself the joy of communication through a pleasant and conscious self-deception.
—Arthur Schopenhauer
Most people experience both tragedy and joy in varying proportions. Any philosophy which leaves out either cannot be considered to be comprehensive.
Just as all the water will flow out of a barrel if there’s so much as one little hole in it, so all the joy of love will drain out of your soul if in your soul there is enmity toward so much as a single person.
—Leo Tolstoy
“If ye love Christ, show it, and show it by doing good to others, by laying yourself out to help others that Jesus may have joy of them.”
Just as a good fruit tree produces its fruit and gives it to anyone who passes, so good people are ready to serve anyone they meet simply because they feel joy in service.
—Leo Tolstoy
The more a person lives for others, the freer and more joyful is his life. The more he lives for himself alone, the more his life is constricted and painful.
—Leo Tolstoy
He who believes, though he sows in tears, yet he shall reap in joy.
—Jonathan Edwards
Even toil will be a joy.
You may deny yourself bread for your children, and even that will be a joy.
They will love you for it afterward.
So, you are laying by for your future.
—Fyodor Dostoevsky
“God, you are not only the greatest source of joy but you are all our joy.”
— Charles Spurgeon
Just recognize that you’re not the master but a servant and your searching, anxiety, and dissatisfaction will instantly transform into certainty, tranquility, peace and indestructible joy.
—Leo Tolstoy
An unsanctified person may relish and taste some sweetness in the delicious promises and discoveries of the gospel, by a misapplication of them to himself. But this is like the joy of a beggar, dreaming he is a king; but he awakes and finds himself a beggar still.
—John Flavel
When people criticize and condemn you, take joy. When they praise and applaud you, be afraid and grieve.
—Leo Tolstoy
How comely is it for the humble Christian, with his heart full of holy joy and cheerfulness, to enter into his closet and on his knees offer up his heart, a sacrifice, burning in the flame of love.
—Jonathan Edwards
He that walks in the light of new obedience, he hath communion with God, and in his presence is fulness of joy for ever; without it, there is nothing but darkness, and wandering, and confusion.
—John Owen
6 benefits to hearing the Word of God:
1. It exercises our humility.
2. It instructs our faith.
3. It lights us up with joy.
4. It inflames us with love.
5. It inspires us with zeal.
6. It lifts us up towards heaven.
— Charles Spurgeon
Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. – C.S. Lewis
There is no joy in this world like union with Christ.
The more we can feel it, the happier we are.
— Charles Spurgeon
Love people and animals and you will experience overwhelming joy from being with them.
—Leo Tolstoy
There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something.
—Henry Ford
Then only is God praised when the heart is lifted up to God with love, joy, and wonder for what it sees in him and receives from him with a desire of expressing it to him.
—Jonathan Edwards
Sometimes I speak to men and women just as a little girl speaks to her doll. She knows, of course, that the doll does not understand her, but she creates for herself the joy of communication through a pleasant and conscious self-deception.
—Arthur Schopenhauer
Your own tactic is to train yourself in the art of becoming enigmatic to everybody. My young friend, suppose there was no one who troubld himself to guess your riddle–what joy, then, would you have in it?
—Søren Kierkegaard
Man cannot live without joy. That is why one deprived of spiritual joys goes over to carnal pleasures.
—Thomas Aquinas
People say: Why love those we don’t like? Because there’s joy in it. Try it and see if it’s true or not.
—Leo Tolstoy
Wicked men rejoice in many things that are fruits of God’s goodness to them, but they don’t praise him because the foundation of this joy is not anything that they see in God but only the good they receive themselves.
—Jonathan Edwards
Wicked men rejoice in many things that are fruits of God’s goodness to them, but they don’t praise him because the foundation of this joy is not anything that they see in God but only the good they receive themselves.
—Jonathan Edwards
There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson