The Bible has a lot to say about joy. The Apostle Paul tells us that one of the most important Judeo-Christian values is “joy.” Merriam-Webster defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.”
More specifically, though, joy is a contentedness that comes from having faith in God, even as chaos and difficulties rage. Only Jesus is enough and this is one of the Christian core values that sustains believers even in their time of need.
When I think of joy in my life (besides my sister Joy of course, (sorry I had to say it), I think of rejoicing. In Philippians 4:4 (ESV) we are told to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Have you ever asked yourself the question: "How can I experience joy in my Christian life?"
I have repeatedly been asked that question by many people over the years and it is a valid question. Well, the answer is Yes.”
Joy is something we all long for but that often seems difficult to grab hold of. Experiencing joy should be a part of every Christian’s life. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, produced by God’s work in us, and it is part of God’s will for us.
We know that even the most mature of God’s people experience periods of joylessness.
For instance, Job wished he had never been born in Job 3:11 (ESV), “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?”
In Psalm 55:6–8, David prayed to be taken away to a place where he would not have to deal with reality.
Elijah, even after defeating 450 prophets of Baal with fire called down from heaven in 1 Kings 18:16–46. Then in 1 Kings 19:3–5, he fled into the desert and asked God to take his life.
If these men struggled, how can we experience consistent joy in the Christian life?
The first thing is to realize that joy is a gift from God. The root word for joy in the Greek is “chara,” which is closely related with the Greek “charis” for “grace.” Joy is both a gift of God as well as a response to the gifts of God. Joy comes when we are aware of God’s grace and delight in His favor.
With this in mind, it’s evident that one way to experience joy is to focus on God. Rather than dwelling on our difficulties or those things robbing our contentment, we can dwell on God. This is not to say we should deny our discontent or stuff negative emotions.
If we follow the example of many of the psalmists, we can pour out our hearts to God. We can tell Him bluntly all the things that ail us. But then we submit those things to Him, remember who He is, and are happy in Him because we find real joy.
To help you further look at our joy, take some time today and read Psalms 3, 13, 18, 43, and 103 are good examples. Also read Philippians 4:4–8 and remember that the book of Philippians has much to say about joy, even though Paul wrote the epistle from prison. Even in prison Paul was able to truly rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ.
So remember to rejoice and gain the joy of the Lord starting today.
We will look at Part 2 of Experiencing Joy In Our Christian Life next week as we continue to our study on “Discovering Our Christian Values.”
Blessings and Stay Safe,
Pastor Chuck
More specifically, though, joy is a contentedness that comes from having faith in God, even as chaos and difficulties rage. Only Jesus is enough and this is one of the Christian core values that sustains believers even in their time of need.
When I think of joy in my life (besides my sister Joy of course, (sorry I had to say it), I think of rejoicing. In Philippians 4:4 (ESV) we are told to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Have you ever asked yourself the question: "How can I experience joy in my Christian life?"
I have repeatedly been asked that question by many people over the years and it is a valid question. Well, the answer is Yes.”
Joy is something we all long for but that often seems difficult to grab hold of. Experiencing joy should be a part of every Christian’s life. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, produced by God’s work in us, and it is part of God’s will for us.
We know that even the most mature of God’s people experience periods of joylessness.
For instance, Job wished he had never been born in Job 3:11 (ESV), “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?”
In Psalm 55:6–8, David prayed to be taken away to a place where he would not have to deal with reality.
Elijah, even after defeating 450 prophets of Baal with fire called down from heaven in 1 Kings 18:16–46. Then in 1 Kings 19:3–5, he fled into the desert and asked God to take his life.
If these men struggled, how can we experience consistent joy in the Christian life?
The first thing is to realize that joy is a gift from God. The root word for joy in the Greek is “chara,” which is closely related with the Greek “charis” for “grace.” Joy is both a gift of God as well as a response to the gifts of God. Joy comes when we are aware of God’s grace and delight in His favor.
With this in mind, it’s evident that one way to experience joy is to focus on God. Rather than dwelling on our difficulties or those things robbing our contentment, we can dwell on God. This is not to say we should deny our discontent or stuff negative emotions.
If we follow the example of many of the psalmists, we can pour out our hearts to God. We can tell Him bluntly all the things that ail us. But then we submit those things to Him, remember who He is, and are happy in Him because we find real joy.
To help you further look at our joy, take some time today and read Psalms 3, 13, 18, 43, and 103 are good examples. Also read Philippians 4:4–8 and remember that the book of Philippians has much to say about joy, even though Paul wrote the epistle from prison. Even in prison Paul was able to truly rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ.
So remember to rejoice and gain the joy of the Lord starting today.
We will look at Part 2 of Experiencing Joy In Our Christian Life next week as we continue to our study on “Discovering Our Christian Values.”
Blessings and Stay Safe,
Pastor Chuck
RSS Feed