-Elder,When the Apostle Paul writes,The fruit of the Spirit is love,joy...,(Gal 5;22) does he mean that joy is an indication of a proper life?
-Yes,because there is worldly joy,and divine joy.When something is not spiritual,pure there cannot be true joy and peace in the heart.The joy experienced by a spiritual person is not the worldly joy sought by many today.Let's not mix things up.Did the Saints have the kind of joy we are seeking today?.Did Panagia(Mother of God) have such joy?Did Jesus go around laughing?Which Saint has gone through this life without pain?Which Saint had the joy sought by many present-day Christians who do not want to hear anything unpleasant,who do not want to worry or lose their serenity?If i do not want to worry or be troubled so that i may be happy,if i do not want to lose my serenity so that i may be meek,then i am indifferent.
Spiritual meekness and meekness out of indifference are two different things.Some people say,"I must be cheerful because I am a Christian.I must be calm because i am a Christian"Such people are not Christians.
Do you understand?That is indifference,it is worldly joy.One who has these worldly elements is not a spiritual person.
A spiritual person is a mass of pain.That is to say,a spiritual person is pained over circumstances,over people,but is compensated for this pain by divine consolation.He does feel pain,but inside he also feels divine consolation,for God is pouring blessings from Paradise and man is overjoyed with divine love.
This is the joy,the spiritual joy,which is not expressed but,
rather,abounds in the heart.
Taken from Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Counsels Vol 2 "SPIRITUAL AWAKENING"
