JOY
Happiness leaks! It is like having a bucket with holes at the bottom. Try to increase happiness in this world by all possible means, even as the bucket gets filled it also drains when circumstances change, and change it will. Happiness comes and goes and when it goes it leaves behind sorrow, bitterness, and disappointment. Solomon calls it “a vexation of spirit,” Eccl. 2:10-11.
Things were pretty happy in America and worldwide at the beginning of 2020. But in February-March 2020, Covid-19 struck worldwide. Circumstances changed and happiness drained. People lost jobs, some became very ill, many people died, no work was to be found, no money, much hardship, much hunger, much fear, and much anxiety everywhere and happiness is gone. 2020 was one of the hardest years that affected people worldwide, I guess, after 1950.
Happiness and joy are different. Happiness come from the word, hap, meaning “luck, chance.” So happiness is an emotion or state of being that people feel when the circumstances are favorable or lucky. But joy is different, and the difference is huge. People often use the words interchangeably, knowingly or unknowingly, I know not. But let us, as Christians, briefly look into God’s word, notice the difference, use these words appropriately, and experience happiness and real or true joy.
Just like the people of the world, Christians can also be happy, at the superficial level, when the circumstances are favorable. But when things go bad, “go south,” or go sour, while the world will become frustrated, fret, and frown, a true Christian will have joy, and can rejoice. Rejoice means, joy again, just like redo, or repeat. Rejoice can also mean, joy upon joy, or multiplied joy.
Take a guess, how many times the words joy and rejoice are used in the Bible? The Holman Christian Standard Bible says, that if we add the words joy and rejoice, and related words like joyful, joyous, rejoicing, rejoiced, and rejoiceth, excluding the use of glad and gladness, we will find that these words are used more than 500 times. Bible scholars tell us that there are about 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible. One “fear not” for each day of the year. But joy and rejoice are used more than 500 times, that’s more than one a day. “Fear not” is good, but “rejoice in the Lord” is far better.
Moreover, the Bible mentions increasing degrees of joy. Let’s read part of few verses,
Luke 10:20 “. . . rejoice, because your names are written in heaven;” John 16:22 “And you now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes away from you;” John 16:24 “Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full;” Psa. 16:11 “. . . in thy presence is fullness of joy;” I Pet. 1:7-8 “That the trial of your faith . . . Whom having not seen, you love . . . yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;” 1 Pet. 4:13 “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
How can true Christians have joy or rejoice when faced with trials, temptations, and tribulations?
The foundation of Christian joy is “in the Lord.” Phil. 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” When the Apostle Paul wrote this verse to the believers at Philippi, he was writing from prison, was chained to a guard constantly. Further, in 2 Cor. 11:24-28, he lists some of his intense hardships and sufferings. Despite all of this, in Philippians, the Apostle Paul repeatedly mentions his state of joy and rejoicing, Cha. 1:4, 18 (2 times), 25; Cha. 2:2, 16, 17 (2), 18 (2), 28; Cha. 3:1, 3; Cha. 4:1, 4 (2), 10 (in all 17 times) and the expression “in Christ” and “in the Lord” is used 15 times. The whole book has been summarized in two words, asking the Philippians and all of us, that in the midst of our intense trials, temptations, and tribulations, to “Be Joyful.”
How is this possible? Joy, according to the Bible, is an attitude of the soul, meaning, mind, heart, and emotion, which comes from knowing Christ as Savior and grows as we draw closer to God. Happiness comes and goes but joy comes and grows when we experience God more and more. In John 1:16 we read, “And of His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace (NASB). Just like that, the more of His fullness we experience we will have joy upon joy or rejoice.
Some people have explained joy as follows: Joy comes when:
J – love for Jesus is first;
O – love for others is second,
Y – love for yourself is last.
Another servant of the Lord preached, Joy comes when:
J – love for Jesus,
O – is zero or nothing, and
Y - love for yourself. He explains that as and when there is zero or nothing between Jesus and you, no sin, no idols, etc., you will experience greater and greater joy.
Yes, as we study the Bible, we will find that our experience of joy includes both explanations.
Now, for 2021, here are four aspects wherein we, as Christians, can rejoice in the Lord always.
- Because God is with us - Jesus Christ is the Immanuel, meaning God with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us, nor will He ever go back on any of His promises. Let us personalize it, say with me, my Lord Jesus is with me
- Because God is in us – the Holy Spirit is another Paraclete, (John 14:16-17, Christ being the first), meaning helper, comforter, counselor, advocate, and producing the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is joy (Gal. 5:22-23). Let us personalize it, say with me, the Holy Spirit is in me. I am never alone.
- Because God is for us – The Father’s love toward us in Christ is inseparable, inexhaustible, and indescribable. Please read Rom. 8:31, 32, 38 and 39. Let us personalize it. Say with me, God the Father loves me.
- Because God’s reward awaits us – Please read, 1 Pet. 1:7-8; 4:12-13. Let us personalize it. Say with me, I await God’s imperishable, incorruptible, and undefiled reward which He has kept for me.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “There is a marvelous medicinal power in joy. Most medicines are distasteful; but this, which is the best of all medicines, is sweet to the taste, and comforting to the heart.” He also said, “Holy joy will oil the wheels of life’s machinery. Holy joy will strengthen you for your daily labor; Holy joy will beautify you and give you an influence over the lives of others.”
So my prayer and desire for all of us in 2021 is, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.
As hindrances are removed from our lives, trouble may come at times, but when we experience the Lord more and more, we will find increasing, unspeakable, and glorious joy, on earth and for evermore.