When you think of God, his nature and what he is really like, what comes to mind? Many people naturally see him as kind and loving. He is mysterious. I find there are many who believe He is not easy to please. Unfortunately, many see Him as being uncaring.

Since the Bible tells us that human beings are made and designed in the image of God, then we posses a number of His characteristics. We can think, reason, and communicate because God can think, reason and communicate. We have a personality and emotions just as He does. He made us to be relational beings because He is a relational God. We know this to be true because if we were not relational beings, there would be no such thing as loneliness.

I might point out that this is why the Trinity is so important to grasp and understand, because God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have been in relationship throughout eternity. You see Jesus spend time with God the Father and pray, for instance, in John 17. In Luke 4:1 you see Jesus being led around in the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.

Finally, we are told that He is a God of love and therefore as His image bearer, we are able to love.

However, it strikes me that there is one characteristic of God that no one really thinks about when considering His nature. We are told He is a God that is full of joy.

In Nehemiah 8:10 we read these words, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” In I Thessalonians 1:6 we see this phrase: “… the joy of the Holy Spirit.” In Psalm 16:11 David says, “in Thy presence is fullness of joy.” Then in Psalm 21:6, David says, “You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.” And finally, and most significantly Jesus says in John 15:11 and John 17:13, that His desire is to give each of us His joy and that our joy would be made full. Where nothing further can be added to it.

As we consider the joy of God, we need to also know that God sings. In Zephariah 3:17 we are told that God “… will rejoice over you with loud singing.” Can you imagine that? The God of the universe desires to joyfully sing over us.

Interestingly, there is a verse in the Bible that speaks of a kind of joy that is experienced by those who don’t look to God and Christ for their joy. In Job 20:5 we are told, “… the joy of the godless is temporary.” So, there is a joy that can be found outside of God. The problem is, it does not last. There is no fullness.

I often share this thought with men who are searching spiritually: You can go to the greatest vacation resorts in the world, play on the finest golf courses, eat at the highest rated restaurants, drink expensive wine and have the greatest sex, but you wake up in the morning and the thrill is gone. It does not last.

We must understand that Jesus is the source of all joy and His desire is to give it to us.

Richard E Simmons III is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Executive Leadership and a best-selling author.