Blue sat and reflected on what happiness truly was and where she found her happiness. She knew exactly what the answer was and picked up a pen, turning to a new page in her journal and began to write:

Blue's journal entry #2

Happiness: The Fruit, Not The Vine

Have you ever heard someone tell you that as long as you're happy, you're right? Or that you should do what makes you happy? Happiness is a topic taken in the wrong context way too often these days. We think that if we're happier we're better off, if we get something we'll be happier, and that altogether life is about being happy. Well, let me be one of the first people to tell you that it's not. Hungry people seem to flock to happiness as if it is the grape vine instead of being the actual grape. The truth is that joy, happiness, ecstasy, whatever you want to call it is simply the fruit of life. In Galatians 5:22 Paul writes "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against these things there is no law." So because joy is a fruit of the Spirit, it cannot be the "vine." The vine is what we need to rely on because if we just have fruit, it will surely run out. What is the vine? The vine is God. Jesus said Himself "I Am the true vine." He also says that we are the branches of this vine. So, instead of chasing after the fruit (joy) start chasing after the vine (Jesus) because He is the source of joy and if you abide in Him, you will be very fruitful.

Hey guys! I honestly could go wayyy deeper with this topic, but I wanted to make this a short lesson. I may write out an actual study on the fruit of the Spirit and in particular, joy later on, but for now you can read this and think on it. We get so caught up in trying to make ourselves happy that when we finally do the thing that we think will make us happy, we're left empty. Just remember that God is the vine! Don't go chasing after fruit! God bless! And I recommend reading the verses listed below!

Verses quoted/mentioned:

Galatians 5: 22

John 15: 1-11