Everyone wants to be joyful. Many people spend large sums of money in the search for elusive joy and happiness.

What gives a person real joy? Money? Good health? Lots of friends? Beauty? A good figure? Power? Influence? You may have heard someone say, "Oh, if I could only have a million dollars, I would be the happiest person in the world!"

In the Bible the psalmist said that being with Jesus filled him with complete joy. "...In Your presence is fullness of joy;..." (Psalm 16:11). Jesus is the One who imparts the Holy Spirit, and when we have the Spirit of God we have the gift of joy. (See Galatians 5:22.)

But when someone gives you a gift, it isn't yours until you accept it.

At the end of World War I conditions in Europe were deplorable. Many people were hungry, homeless, and without jobs. And even worse, almost every family had a loved one missing.

Such was the case of this family. Father did not return from the war and the family struggled to stay alive.

The brave widow one day heard about America, and she determined that she and her three children would someday go there.

As the years rolled by the family decided to work together and earn enough money for at least one ticket. It took a while, but finally the oldest son was on his way.

Two years later the younger brother and his sister left for America. Mother was left alone. The years of hardship had taken their toll on her. She walked slower, her hair had turned gray, and she suffered with a few health problems. But her courage was strong--soon she would be with her children and that made her joyful.

One day a large envelope arrived from America, and almost overwhelmed the mother tore it open. There was the longed for ticket!

She sold her household goods, paid her bills, and then got ready for the long trip. The day of departure came--what a happy and expectant mother!

She was speechless when she saw the large ocean liner, but she was even more excited when she was taken to a beautiful stateroom on the top deck with a full view of the ocean.

How eagerly she looked forward to the reunion with her children. She realized, of course, it would take a number of days to make the trip to America, and she wondered how she would be able to pay for her meals.

She had brought along a supply of crackers and cheese and ate some sparingly each day. The day came when she had only a few crumbs left. What made matters worse, down the hall from her room was the ship's kitchen, and she could smell all the wonderful food that was being prepared.

Finally, being very hungry, she begged the steward to allow her to help with his cleaning in exchange for food from the kitchen.

He checked her ticket and exclaimed, "Madam, you don't have to scrub floors. All your meals are included with your ticket!"

Are you aware of the fact that Jesus wants to give you the gift of joy? No matter what is happening in your life presently, He is offering you joy to the fullest. Maybe you have lost all your possessions in some natural disaster, or perhaps your family is breaking up. Or maybe you have lost your job and thereby all means of support is cut off. Whatever the circumstance, you can still have the joy of His presence at all times. And when you have Jesus, you have everything.

The apostle Paul endured hardships and trials of every sort, but still he could positively say, "...I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulations" (2 Corinthians 7:4). Such joy and peace comes to us because we completely trust the One who is in control of all the circumstances of life, and He has promised to supply all of our needs.

J. B. Phillips, in his paraphrase of Philippians 4:4-7, shares this insight of the meaning of joy and peace:

Lois Olson was ten years old, and because of polio her entire body was covered with a cast. She was dependent on her family for everything.

One night she awakened, terrified because her bed and the whole house were shaking terribly. She knew she couldn't run.

Later, describing her experience, she said, "I realized that it was not only my bed that was shaking but also the whole house. A horrible sound filled the darkness, and I knew it was a tornado.

"Because I could not help myself, I yelled, 'Daddy, daddy!' Before I finished calling, he was by my side.

"He picked me up gently and carried me to the safety of the basement. It was a struggle for him to carry me because of the heavy cast.

"I noticed big drops of sweat on his forehead, but I saw something else. He smiled as his eyes met mine and I knew that he loved me and I was afraid no longer."

She concluded, "God is like that. He is ready at all times to carry us through every storm of life. And He has a smile of love on His gentle face, and we know everything is going to be all right."

One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down." With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!" "What secret is that?" To which she replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."

"The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to His riches. I have learned, most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that Secret, I am happy."

The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn't! She thought a better-paying job would make her happy, but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God.

Now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only God in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust Him!

Discover the difference Jesus can make in your life. "Call to Joy," by Don Jacobsen, and "One Heart Rejoicing," by Don C. Schneider, will challenge the reader to a radically different lifestyle, one that results in happiness and peace.