I too am in "immigrant" to the Reformed faith from non-denominational evangelicalism, but my experience of joy has been far greater in the Reformation camp than it was even in my Pentecostal/Charismatic experience. While the latter had all the outward trimmings of joy (the singing and shouting and celebrating and dancing and "ecstatic speech" etc), it was used to hide inward confusion, uncertainty, fear, and even shame.

While we have no dancing and gibberish in my Reformed church, almost all the speech is truly "ecstatic," because it flows from understanding, certainty, faith, and freedom. I came into the doctrines of grace pretty much on my own, and when confronted with it in a conversation with a Reformed pastor, he named my findings "the Reformed faith."

I was surprised to learn that what I called "sovereign, certain, accomplished grace" was already quite familiar to some people, and it went by the names "Reformed" and "Calvinism." That last one really caught me by surprise, because I had sternly warned for many years to stay away from Calvinists. I had been taught that Calvinists were cold-hearted, unfeeling, uncaring, un-evangelical, stoic, cheerless, doctrinaire, "head-knowledge-only" nominally Christian, devoid of both Spirit and truth. Needless to say I was shocked that I had become a Calvinist independently. But I was definitely feeling far more joyful and far more motivated to evangelism and far hungrier for God's word and the work of His Spirit in my heart than I had during those years of confusion and fearful Charismatic chaos. I feel truly liberated and truly loved. I no longer strive to gain what I have already been given in full measure. I no longer second-guess every feeling and every utterance. I'm no longer tossed about by every wind of doctrine. And having that anchor and that rest is truly joyful!

Your mileage may vary, I guess, depending on where you're coming from. But of the evangelical folks I meet and with whom I am able to share, the ones who come to adopt the doctrines of sovereign, certain, accomplished grace do so with profound joy and unrestrained delight!

-R