On Joy

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy. 

You are sons and daughters of the Most High God! You have the hosts of heaven helping you and the gates of heaven waiting for you. Your sins, faults and failures are washed clean. God is with you and for you.

Of course, you also have bills to pay. Projects at work need preparing. Family commitments loom. You were not where someone else thought you should be. The things you learned in school don’t seem to answer the questions you now have. Life is hard work.

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy.

There are things that need to be taken care of at home. There are things that need to be taken care of in the work. There are things that need to be taken care of in the world. Oh, the things there are!

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy.

You get tired. You get confused. You get hurt. You get tested and tempted.

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy.

Without joy you cannot carry on—for long. Without joy you will become dry, brittle and bitter. Without joy you will become a bane instead of a blessing to your family, your associates and congregation.

Where then joy? In God. 

Remember joy is different than happiness. Happiness is based on… what happens. Joy is centered in the being of a gracious and loving God. 

I always liked the book of Habakkuk. I can remember a Seminary prof quoting it in Hebrew. I did not understand it in Hebrew, but I treasure it in English. Habakkuk found joy in the presence, nature and promise of God. Habakkuk 3:17-19 says it well:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy. 

Decide for joy.  The day is hard. The odds are bad. The situation is dire. But God is good.

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy.

Whistle. Smile. Smell flowers. Read comics. Turn off the news. Hide your cell phone. Close your laptop. Jesus is greater.

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy. 

When Christians lose joy, when Christians moan and groan, when Christians belly ache like others who have no hope in Christ, they lose legitimacy in witnessing. Our platform for witness does not depend on a life fully in order and at ease; it does depend (humanly speaking) on a spirit at rest in Jesus’ love that is expressed in joy.

Never let anyone or anything steal your joy.

Keep your eyes fixed on God, the hope you have in Jesus! That is the font, the wellspring of joy.