8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:8-12
Have you ever noticed that the longer you walk with God the more you know that you don’t know? Sure, you have the answers to so many questions and understand Him and His ways more all the time. I guess what I mean is that one day you feel like you know all about joy means and the next God reveals to you that you have way more to learn about it.
The Holy Spirit is so kind that He teaches the right things at the right times and doesn’t pressure us with the list too far in advance. From what I read in scripture He will be revealing Himself and all wisdom to us throughout eternity so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I still have a long way to go. Right now we see dimly, but not for long (1 Cor 13:12).
Here’s what I am learning. Joy can be sabotaged. God can give you joy, and you can take it and complicate it and undermine it and reject it and refuse to partner with God and the gift that He gives you. Or you can go through something and in the process feel so distant from joy. Bitterness, distraction, sin, and deep wounds can make it shrivel up and seem so small and faint.
When God gives us anything we have to steward it. This year God has taught me more about stewardship and I’m learning what it looks like to grow something that comes in the form of a seed and tend it with God while it grows into a mighty tree. I have some seedlings that have taken way too long to get to just a few inches tall and some mighty trees that soar so high I know He has brought the increase.
Can you tell I’m struggling with joy right now? I just don’t have the energy to teach a lesson with such certainty on a subject I feel uncertain of. God has given me so much joy, I love experiencing His joy, and He has promised me so much more! Where does peace end and joy begin? How do I experience joy differently in one season the in the next it feels so different. It would not be wise for me to try to define it for you right now.
Here is what I am certain of. There are times when we don’t feel much joy. Whether it’s a hard time in our lives or we are struggling through a sin issue. Maybe sometimes we are just so caught up in the world around us that we are all flesh and no spirit.
There is always joy available in the presence of God so the solution to all these issues is to come back morning after morning, day after day, and ask God to change our minds, open our eyes, and pour His grace out on us, weak as we are.
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand. – Psalm 16:11
Just to sit in the presence of the One who is working all things for our good. Do you notice how this verse says that the writer is filled with joy in God’s presence. Location matters! Also, eternal pleasures? Yes, please!
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, so we know it comes straight from the Holy Spirit. Any joy that we have we can thank God for! He gives so generously and is never stingy. He wants to bless us constantly. Always, always, always, He is thinking good things about us and pouring out blessing without hesitation.
It’s been a heck of a year. I haven’t shared much here, and I won’t get into details but in March my family and I faced profound judgement and rejection. In the process there was a ton of miscommunication and accusation, and we often didn’t know how people felt about us or even what they had been told. Then God had us spin right around and move states away from the deep, amazing relationships that we had left in Virginia. Those individuals and families mean the world to me, and I thank God for them often.
We spent most of our time grieving the rejection and loss of a church family and a beautiful hometown while packing and house hunting 9 hours away. We are closer to God and each other than before and it was my pleasure to suffer and be rejected for Jesus. Like Jesus. With Jesus. While I’m counting it all joy, I have not always experienced joy. I don’t know how it works I just know sometimes I can feel it and sometimes I can’t.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. – James 1:2-5
All this pressure revealed issues that God is still working on in me. Ha! Apply a little heat and some wild things will come to the surface. He is refining me through the process and I am grateful that He wastes nothing even when I am so quick to want to avoid the messy things.
Maybe you are full of joy right now. Full to the brim! Praise God, who gives generously to all! Maybe you are like me, and you have had a tough year, struggling with sin, or focused on the wrong things. Praise God Who rescues us! Our joy will come in the morning, and it will be ever so sweet!
God showed me this summer that I would have great joy by Christmas. I can feel it drawing closer. Our family worship has turned to Christmas songs like Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Gloria, In Excelsis Deo, and Away in a Manger. I feel something so beautiful welling up in my spirit as I sing these songs that I have always known with my family.
Like the angels in Luke 2 I have news for the world that will cause great joy for all people! His name is Jesus. He stepped out of Heaven to come to Earth with us. He is Emmanuel. He lived a perfect life and died for you and me and everyone on this planet, past, present, and future. He did this to save us from a life and an eternity separated from God.
In Him our sins won’t be counted against us. He has dressed us in garments of righteousness! He is our joy. He creates, supplies, and sustains joy. He is the source of joy.
I am praying that God fills us with joy and that we would not allow trials, sin, or distraction to smother it. Let’s run to His presence over and over again and drink deeply. He never runs dry.
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13