Joy--What is it?

At my meeting for spouses of pornography addicts, at the end we all read together the serenity pray plus some stuff which I really like. Here it is:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom [and inspiration from God] to know the difference. Living one day at a time...Trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His will.

As we continue to come to meetings, diligently study the Twelve Steps, ponder the questions and apply the spiritual principles, we will find hope, we will feel peace and we will experience joy again!"

I love reading that. It puts everything in perspective. We can't change our husband's addiction, only ourselves. The last line I love, we will find hope, feel peace and experience joy again, if we do the steps and let the Atonement heal us. I'm finally understanding all of this. Last night the word joy really jumped off the page and hit me. What is joy? Then this morning in my scripture study I'm reading 2 Nephi 2:23-25 which says:

"And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."

There is was again--joy. We can't know joy without knowing misery--well I know that part well. God knows all and has a wise plan, I can trust him, and he intends for me to have joy. So what is it exactly? So I looked up joy in my Noah Websters 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. I really like this edition. So here is what it said:

Joy "1. The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits."

I really like that. The first thing I thought of was planning a vacation, I feel joy when I do because I'm expecting good things to happen. But then I thought a little deeper. When the angels came to the shepherds after Jesus was born, they brought "tidings of great joy." In John 16 it tell us our sorrow shall be turned to  joy. In vs. 22 "And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." And in vs. 24, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

So for me, this all means, I'm meant to have joy, and I will only find true and lasting joy in coming to Christ. I had tried finding joy, peace and true happiness in my marriage. Didn't work too good. However, if I turn to Christ and try to be like him, he will fill me with joy. Even when life throws me bunches of sorrow and can still find peace, hope and experience joy again. This is something I have been experiencing recently and it is wonderful.