Freedom and joy

It seems that the condition of true joy, a fruit of the Spirit, comes with a price. It is not just being merry or finding enjoyment pleasant circumstances. It may be, but it goes much further and deeper than that. The price, it seems to me, requires a huge dose of healthy detachment (being free interiorly) from all things. Time and again when joy slips away, I have to check myself for areas of unfreedom in my life. And there are many recurrent ones ....meaning that real joy often eludes me. Being a 'serious' and 'responsible' person by disposition does not help. But that disposition does not exclude real 'joy' that does not have to be visible in an exuberant way.

I believe we are only truly joyful - in all circumstances - only be being free of what we think we need and want. That was the inner disposition of Paul when he said to be joyful at all times. It wasn't to be joyful for certain gifts or blessings, though we are. It was to be joyful in all circumstances because we have learnt to be grateful, in want or in plenty.

These days, most of my prayer for self rests on asking for the grace of freedom. I realize that I can make my needs known to the Lord - I can tell him what I prefer, or what I would rather not have. But the bottom line for me is the desire to be 'freed' from attachments that condition me to think that life should proceed in a certain way. Or worse still that people around me should be this way or that way. I can hope and desire their good, but the Lord does too, much more than I do. To be human is to have desires and the Lord respects that; yet he draws us to greater and greater freedom of spirit that we may experience abundant life (of joy, peace and all other spiritual fruit).