There is a Joy that comes from only one place. The Joy I'm speaking of comes from God.
There are times in our lives sometimes that we allow that Joy to depart from us. When this happens, it is not God's fault as so many say. Our Joy is gone when WE depart from God's will, or we choose to not do what God's will is for our life.
I read a Church sign the-other-day that said, "When you have a choice to make and you do not make it, that is a choice.". That reminds me that there are times in our lives that we think that just because we haven't "decided" what to do yet in a given situation, that we have not departed from God's will. Well, I have to tell you something, that's not so. When we elect not to make the choice, we are still in disobedience to our Heavenly Father. We can make all the excuses that we want to, but, we are still not in God's will and, when in that state, we can "feel" that our Joy has departed.
We also can feel ever so lonely. God does not leave us, but, oh, so many times we "choose" not to choose to do what God has for us to do, and it hurts. We may not realize how much it hurts until we do finally make our choice, then there is such great release and relief from a burden we may not have even realized we were carrying.
Not only does it hurt us, but, I imagine it hurts God. Think of a time that your child did something that "broke your heart" or that you saw was destroying them, and remember the love you have for that child, and though you do not like their choice, you weep and mourn for what that child is going through, and for what that child is doing. I know that our Heavenly Father, being who He is, has a greater love than ours and I know that I must really break His heart so many times when I either don't choose(which is really a choice), or I choose the wrong thing, or way.
He also is faithful and just to forgive us. A child of God can not stay out of His will for too very long, for it is sadness to be away from Him, it is great sadness, and confusion. I thank God that He loves us as He does, and forgives our sins.
May God richly bless you all, may His sweet peace and wondrous love always be seen in all you say and do, may your hearts be filled with the peace that passeth all understanding, may His Joy completely fill you, and may you always be found, centered upon His will, in the hollow of His hand,
Sherry