Laying Hold of Joy

Joy.

The idea seems simple enough on the surface. We all know that we should be joyful and we are often reminded that we have every reason to be so. 

And yet we often find ourselves in a place where joy is the last word we would use to describe ourselves. That leaves us wondering how Paul could be so joyful in such terrible circumstances while our joy can be instantly annihilated by one dirty dish left on the table.

What is joy?

Before we go any further, let’s consider biblical joy for a moment. Though this is not a full definition, let’s consider how joy is different than happiness...

• Happiness is used to describe positive feelings that result from temporal circumstances.

• Joy, on the other hand, is used to describe a deep sense of contentment and satisfaction that transcends one’s outward circumstance.

This distinction can be helpful. Being able to rejoice in all circumstances does not mean we are always happy. It's rare (and probably inappropriate) for someone to be happy at a funeral. Joy, on the other hand, will often accompany a Christian attending the funeral of a loved one. When the deceased is a brother or sister in Christ, we can rejoice that the person has been freed from the struggle of the flesh, and that we will be reunite with them again in glory. Knowing this helps us to grieve, but in a way that is very different from those who have no hope (1 Thes. 4:13). Joy can be present even amidst tears.

But sometimes it is not…

Most, if not all, of us have had moments or seasons that we would describe as joyless. There are times (maybe you are in one now) where the idea of being able to rejoice despite the circumstance seems far fetched, and “the peace of God, which surpasses understanding” (Phil. 4:7) has alluded us. That often leads to a sense of guilt and questioning...

• Does my lack of joy indicate spiritual immaturity?

• I can’t just make myself feel more joy… so how do I “fix” that?

• Is it just a mind game of redirecting my thoughts to more positive things?

• But joy is a fruit of the Spirit so shouldn’t it be something I just have, not something I have to create or work for?

There is no quippy phrase I could toss out that would answer all of those questions in one fell swoop. But there are a number of things that contribute to our joy or lack thereof. Paul’s writings (especially Philippians) give us a wealth of things that can help us experience the same joy that Paul experienced in prison. 

(1) Joy must be laid hold of.

It does not always come effortlessly just because we are in Christ. If it did, there would be no need for Paul to remind the Philippians to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:2). Paul, by God’s grace, was supernaturally joyful as he wrote Philippians, despite terrible circumstances. But that was not his permanent, 24/7 mood. He says in Chapter 2 that if Epaphroditus had died, he would have had “sorrow upon sorrow.” The letter to the Philippians may have had a much different vibe had Epaphroditus died. God does not expect us to live in perpetual glee. He knows there will be ups and downs. As the Psalmist says, “he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). Like other fruits of the Spirit, the attitude is ours in Christ, but must be laid hold of. Like the shield of faith in Ephesians 6, it is provided by God, and put on by us.

(2) Joy comes through abiding in Christ.

Jeremiah 17 says the man who trusts in the Lord is “like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought..” Through devotional habits such as regular scripture reading and prayer, we tap directly into the life giving waters of Christ, who is the source of all joy. The more connected we are to God, the more equipped we will be to joyfully endure life’s storms.

Let me throw out one disclaimer here. A lack of joy is not always a result of spiritual immaturity. The answer to someone who is struggling with depression is often not as simple as, “Pray and read the bible more.” If you believe you may be suffering from depression, please let your community group leader or one of our pastors know.

(3) God brings us joy through others.

While personal devotion is perhaps the most direct route to the source of joy, let’s not overlook God’s ability to extend his living waters to us through others.

In his book, “Things of Earth,” Joe Rigney gives us a great example of how God used his wife to supply streams of joy amidst season of drought and depression. He said, “I remember the loneliness and the fear, the nights spent staring at the ceiling and the terrifying sense of despair that would wash over me in moments of hopelessness and fatalism… And, in later seasons of doubt, the unshakeable hope that stable tenderness of my remarkable wife. Her words, her hope, her touch anchored me in ways that defy my explanations. I felt the comfort of God in my wife’s presence.”

Biblical joy is found, first and foremost, directly in the person of Jesus. But God also supplies his joy to us through the relationships He provides.

(4) Joy comes from an eternal perspective.

No matter how bad life gets, we, as Christians, still have hope, because our hope is not in this world. My dad often comments that he cannot comprehend how unbelievers can get through life without any hope of something better to come. When a loved one passes away, we need not ignore or push aside our grief. But we must not stop there. In the midst of trials and loss, we must also set our minds on the reality that Jesus will one day wipe away every tear, and that death will be no more.