I suppose that the most common idea of God is that He is gloomy and austere, and too much absorbed in the great business of managing the universe to take any pleasure. Satan likes to have men think of God as unattractive. But the fact is that God is joy itself: "In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11) "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 10:17)
Love and joy are the very first among the fruits of the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy." (Galatians 5:22)
Joy is inseparable from the Lord. Therefore everyone who knows the Lord must be joyful.
When professed followers of Christ give unbelievers the idea that if they begin to serve the Lord they will have to become gloomy, they misrepresent the Lord.
The only strength of the Christian is the joy of the Lord: "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)--Present Truth, August 16, 1894--Psalm 16:11.