Fruit of the Spirit: JOY
Joy Is More Than Happiness: What the Fruit of the Spirit Has Been Teaching Me in a Season of Waiting
By Sharla Fossen
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…”
— Galatians 5:22–23
If someone asked me a year ago what joy looked like, I probably would have described circumstances.
A fulfilled dream.
Answered prayer.
Feeling secure.
Getting what I hoped for.
But lately God has been changing my definition.
Joy is not the reward for finally arriving somewhere.
Joy is evidence that the Holy Spirit is alive and active within us.
Joy Is Fruit—Not a Finish Line
This year has stretched me more than I expected.
After becoming an empty nester, I stepped into a season of saying yes to God before I understood all the details.
It has involved travel.
Waiting.
Trust.
Learning to hold plans loosely.
And discovering that spiritual growth often happens in ordinary moments—not dramatic ones.
Recently, while attending the 2026 Called Women’s Conference centered on Finding Joy in the Journey (I shared that full experience and reflections on the Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures blog), I left with one question:
What if joy is something God wants to grow in me now—not after life becomes easier?
That question has stayed with me.
Because joy isn’t isolated.
It grows alongside the rest of the fruit.
The Fruit of the Spirit Works Together
I’ve been learning this lesson in a very personal way this year.
After becoming an empty nester, I felt God calling me into a season that didn’t make complete sense on paper.
I sold most of what I owned.
Packed the important things into storage.
Loaded up my tent.
Started traveling.
And stepped into a season of intentionally seeking the Lord for what comes next.
There are dreams in my heart that I believe God placed there.
One of those dreams is eventually having a camper and creating spaces for women to gather, rest, heal, worship, and encounter Him.
But right now…
I’m still waiting.
And if I’m honest, waiting sounds spiritual until you actually have to live it.
There have been moments where I’ve wanted to be frustrated.
Moments where I’ve wondered:
Lord… why hasn’t this happened yet?
Moments where I’ve wanted certainty.
Moments where I’ve felt tired of setting up camp.
Moments where I’ve wished I had a kitchen.
Moments where I’ve wanted the timeline to move faster.
And those are the moments where I’ve realized something:
God isn’t just teaching me joy.
He’s teaching me the entire Fruit of the Spirit.
Because joy doesn’t grow alone.
When I want to become frustrated—
He invites me into peace.
Jesus said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled…” (John 14:1)
When I want immediate answers—
He grows patience.
When I’m tempted to become irritated with traffic, delays, difficult interactions, or unmet expectations—
He teaches gentleness and self-control.
When I feel tired and stretched—
He calls me to continue showing kindness and goodness anyway.
When the promise feels delayed—
He reminds me to remain faithful and faith-filled.
Psalm 27:13 says: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord…”
And through every step—
He teaches me love.
Love for people.
Love for the process.
Love for Him.
Studying Beth Moore’s Living Beyond Yourself has challenged me deeply because she talks about how Christ living in us changes more than our eternity—it changes our daily lives.
The filling and fruit of the Spirit doesn’t just transform who I become someday.
It changes how I respond today.
Through the Holy Spirit:
I can do things I couldn’t.
Feel things I didn’t.
Know things I wouldn’t.
Not because I’m strong—
but because Christ in me is.
And I’m beginning to wonder…
What if God isn’t delaying the promise?
What if He’s preparing me for it?
Joy Is Found in God’s Presence
Psalm 16:11 says: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence…”
That verse has become so personal to me lately.
At the Called Conference in Saint Paul this year, the theme was Finding Joy in the Journey, and it felt like God had prepared that message just for me. One speaker said something that stayed with me:
Joy is not the result of promotion. It is the result of proximity.
In other words, joy does not come from finally getting where we want to go. Joy comes from being close to Jesus.
That hit me hard because I realized how often I had been thinking:
I’ll be joyful when…
I’ll be joyful when I have the camper.
I’ll be joyful when I have a clearer plan.
I’ll be joyful when this season feels easier.
I’ll be joyful when I know exactly what God is doing.
Make it stand out
But this season has looked a lot like the wilderness.
This year has been filled with roads, tents, uncertainty, women’s conferences, long drives, beautiful views, and moments of wondering what comes next. And I’m realizing something:
Throughout Scripture, God did some of His deepest work in the wilderness. Not because He abandoned His people there—but because He met them there.
The wilderness isn’t always empty. Sometimes it’s where God strips away distractions and reminds us that He alone is enough.
And lately, as I’ve sat by campfires, watched sunsets over lakes, driven backroads, and slept in a tent while chasing the dreams He placed on my heart, I’ve sensed Him whispering:
Daughter, joy is not waiting on the other side of the answer. Joy is found in My presence right here in the wilderness.
Living Beyond Feelings
One thing that has challenged me recently is paying attention to what sits underneath my emotions.
When I feel frustrated—
what is actually happening?
Am I afraid?
Trying to control outcomes?
Wanting instant gratification?
Holding expectations too tightly?
Psalm 139:23 says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart… know my anxious thoughts.”
I’m learning that spiritual maturity isn’t pretending emotions don’t exist.
It’s allowing God to lead them.
Beth Moore writes that through the Holy Spirit:
We can do things we couldn’t.
Feel things we didn’t.
Know things we wouldn’t.
That idea changed me.
Because sometimes we expect transformation to happen instantly.
But often the Spirit transforms us in moments we’d otherwise overlook.
Joy Does Not Mean Life Is Easy
One of my favorite reminders from the conference was this:
Joy is not the absence of hardship. It is the presence of God in it.
That is such an important distinction.
Christian joy does not mean we never cry, never feel weary, never get frustrated, or never wonder what God is doing.
Joy means we have an anchor.
Hebrews 6:19 says: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
An anchor does not stop the storm. It keeps the boat steady in the storm.
That is what joy does.
It anchors us when life feels unstable. It reminds us that God has not left us. It gives us strength when our circumstances have not changed yet.
This year, God has been teaching me that joy and surrender are deeply connected.
I have had to surrender my timeline.
I have had to surrender what I thought this season would look like.
I have had to surrender the comfort of having everything figured out.
But in the surrender, I have found Him.
At the Called Conference, one woman prayed over me after I shared part of my camping and travel journey. When she finished praying, she said she felt the Lord saying:
“God’s timing is faithful. Be patient with His timing.”
I needed that reminder so much.
Because waiting can make us feel forgotten.
But waiting with God is never wasted.
He is working in the waiting. He is forming our character. He is producing fruit. He is teaching us to live by the Spirit instead of by our circumstances. He is preparing us for what’s to come.
The Fruit in Everyday Life
The Fruit of the Spirit isn’t only for Bible studies or church services.
It shows up in ordinary life.
Love when someone disappoints us.
Joy when life feels unfinished.
Peace when answers are delayed.
Patience in waiting seasons.
Kindness when we feel stretched.
Goodness when no one notices.
Faithfulness when excitement fades.
Gentleness in difficult conversations.
Self-control when emotions want control.
This fruit changes our day.
Not because circumstances suddenly improve—
but because the Spirit changes us.
The Invitation: Live Beyond Yourself
So how do we actually live with joy when life feels uncertain?
For me, it has looked like this:
Choosing worship when I feel discouraged.
Praying before I panic.
Thanking God for small provisions instead of only focusing on what I still lack.
Remembering that obedience is my responsibility, but the outcome belongs to God.
Staying close to Jesus instead of trying to control every detail.
Joy grows when we abide in Him.
John 15:5 says: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit…”
Fruit does not grow by striving. It grows by staying connected.
That includes joy.
Reflection Questions
Which fruit feels strongest in your life right now?
Which fruit feels difficult?
Have you connected joy to circumstances more than Christ?
What emotion might God be inviting you to surrender?
How can you invite the Spirit into your reactions this week?
Challenge
Choose one fruit this week.
Pray over it.
Ask God to grow it intentionally.
Then watch where He gives opportunities to practice it.
Because the Fruit of the Spirit isn’t produced in perfect seasons.
It’s often grown in ordinary ones.
And sometimes joy isn’t found at the end of the journey—
sometimes it’s discovered in the middle of it.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
Teach us to find joy in You—not only when life feels settled, but when everything feels uncertain. Help us stop waiting for perfect circumstances before we praise You. Fill us with the fruit of Your Spirit and remind us that true joy is not found in comfort, control, or completed plans, but in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.
One thing I’ve realized this year is how much God has used intentional spaces of worship, teaching, and community to shape my understanding of joy.
Reflection
So far this year, I’ve attended eight women’s conferences and retreats across the United States continually seeking Him and His Word, and each one has impacted me differently—but the Called Conference especially reminded me that joy isn’t something we find after life becomes easier. It’s something we learn to receive in God’s presence right where we are.
These Christian women’s retreats and conferences have become such beautiful reminders for me to slow down, unplug, seek Him, and surround myself with women pursuing Christ together.
For readers who want the full story behind some of the reflections that shaped this piece—including my experience a the Called Women’s Conference, worship moments, and personal journey that inspired these lessons—you can follow along on my blog at Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures.
It is such a pleasure writing this piece for Boldly Seeking. A beautiful reminder to trust Him in all circumstances.
✨ Grace, adventure, and faith along the journey
Sharla – Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures
Don’t forget — go somewhere new, heal the way God designed, and glorify Him in the journey.
