"That can't be!" was my incredulous reaction when, after moving to the southwest section of the United States, I first heard the mockingbird's vibrant song in the stillness of the night. Some time later, one perched near my window and sang right through the dark hours. When I arose in the morning the bird was still singing. I thought, "How can that bird feel so happy after being awake all night?" The answer came instantly: "It was singing. You weren't."
Feeling the deep sense of joy that emanates from the conscious awareness of God's ever-present, uninterrupted goodness and power can do much toward turning long, dark hours into times of spiritual inspiration and growth.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us, "Rejoice evermore." I Thess. 5:16. But rejoicing in times of trouble could seem very difficult if joy were being viewed as a mere emotion. When we understand joy to be one of man's God-bestowed qualities, however, we see that it is not dependent on material conditions or circumstances. Joy—as well as patience, trust, courage, strength, or compassion—comes from God and is as natural to us as song to the mockingbird.
