In “Advent 2020: Joy,” Charity shares what she is learning about advent—a word meaning arrival. This week she shares about joy. If you missed the previous weeks, you can also read about hope and peace.
Joy.
It is not happiness.
It is so much more.
It is more than a feeling.
It does not mean we ignore the brokenness in this world.
I find comfort in that truth.
This past Sunday was a rough one for me. There was no real reason why. It was just hard. The thoughts in my head were telling me so many different things:
“Why do you feel anxious when there is no reason?”
“You are pitiful. Your struggle is nothing compared to…”
“You don’t want to spend time with God? You are a terrible Christian.”
“You are angry at God? Really? You are so stupid.”
I can confidently say that I was feeling anything but joyful and because of that felt immense guilt and shame.
I don’t know what lies are roaming in your mind or what struggles you are facing that seem to be sucking the joy from your life. What I do know is that even on the hardest of days there is still joy to be found that can never be taken from you. The hard part is believing it.
Joy, like hope and peace, is not found in circumstance or feeling. We certainly can find them there, but the source is God Himself. God’s goodness is the foundation of who He is and ultimately our faith. If we do not trust that God is as good as He says He is, then our entire faith crumbles.
If we truly believe that God, at His very core, is good, loving, and merciful and that everything He does stems from that reality then how could we not want Him? How could He not be our joy?
This revelation often does not bring about immediate transformation. But we have to be intentional about giving God time and space to show us from Scripture and life experiences just how good He is. We must take steps towards Him if we want an intimate relationship with the God of goodness.
And from this good God, we find everlasting joy.
Jesus equals joy. Since Jesus is alive, we have joy forevermore.
I have found this truth to be a powerful weapon for me this week. When Satan whispers in my ear, “there is nothing good left in this world,” I combat it with, “Jesus is alive, and His Spirit is here, so there is still reason to live this day.”
Joy is found in Jesus.
This does not mean we are not going to face hard days like I did Sunday.
It means that when we feel left in the muck and mire of sin we can look toward Jesus and see joy.
Joy because he came.
Joy because He died.
Joy because He lives and we also live.
Joy because He promises to return.
Joy because He promises to take away the pain and fix the brokenness.
I look to my Savior’s life. I remember He felt the brokenness of this world too. He felt the pain of losing loved ones and mourned deeply for them. He saw the brokenness of those He loved. He even knows what it feels like to be separated from God, His own Father. He knows my pain and longing for things to be made right again. He feels it too. But He did not lose sight of His Father. He did not stop seeking Him.
Jesus knew how the story would end. Him dying on a cross. He didn’t want to die on it. He pleaded with God for it to be done differently if possible. We know how the story ends though. Jesus died on that cross. God said, with tears in His eyes, as I imagine it, “There is no other way to save them.”
Jesus was not forced to die on that cross. No, He did it His Father’s way trusting and knowing that God is good and makes all injustices work out for His glory and our good.
Jesus is our joy. He died on the cross “for the joy set out for Him” (Hebrews 12:2 NET).
I don’t think this verse is saying it was a joy for Jesus to die on the cross. That is one of the most excruciating ways to die.
What I think it is saying is that Jesus had His focus on the joy that was promised to come after His death.
Where is our focus?
Life is hard. It is okay if you are feeling depressed, angry, frustrated, or defeated. Jesus meets us in those places with grace and truth. He does not want us to stay stuck there though. He wants to lift your eyes from whatever lies you are believing and show you that there is still joy in this world because He is still in this world. He has defeated death and given us His Spirit to help us live to the fullest.
Life isn’t a 400-meter dash. It is a marathon. Don’t be discouraged if you start running and lose steam. Remain faithful. Strive to be steady. You may find that your jog just gets faster and faster the farther you go. You may have fast miles, you may have slow miles, but no matter what just don’t stop moving. Keep going even if it feels like you are crawling on all fours. When you get to heaven and stand before your Father, I think He is going to look you in the face with tears of love and pride in His eyes and say, “You have no idea how much your faithful crawling meant to Me. Well done My good and faithful servant.”
If you are feeling the joy of the Lord today, please enjoy it! Please worship our Father with all the strength He gives you! It is a beautiful gift that He wants you to enjoy and created you to enjoy.
Please never feel guilty for feeling joy when others are struggling to find it. Use that gift to praise the Lord, for He deserves it all. Use it to spread joy into the lives of those struggling. People often tell me that my joy can light up a room. I don’t always feel joyful, but even when I don’t feel it I pray that I can always be a joyful presence because God is my joy and that is what I want others to see.
If you are struggling to find joy today like I was on Sunday remember this: No one can take Jesus away from you.
No one, nothing can change what He has done. He has redeemed you, put His seal on you and claimed you as His own. He has not forgotten you. Satan wants nothing more than to steal your joy. If you have Jesus, you have joy. I pray you see what a powerful weapon that is against an enemy whose single desire is to steal joy.
This Christmas we celebrate the arrival of our joy in the flesh. Our joy that is sure and eternal. Our joy that is rooted in our good God whom we can trust in every season. Joy has come.
Thank You, Jesus. May we never forget all that Your joy entails.
Author:
Hello! I’m the C to KC & Co! My name is Charity, and I am so excited you are checking out our site and blog. My deepest desire is that God will use the words on this blog to encourage, strengthen and deepen your love for Jesus. Read more of my writing here.
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