I like what Dallas Willard says in his new book The Great Ommission:
Hope in the goodness of God is joy’s indispensable support.
This goes along with what Paul prays in Roman’s 15:13:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
So the faith question is, “Do I really believe that God can and will deliver me unto joy and peace?”
No matter what is going on in our lives, we need to struggle for the faith to say with the Psalmist, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Ps. 23)