I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart to stay.
As a child, I loved to sing this song in Sunday school, probably because when I was younger, I – like so many others – equated happiness with joy. But true joy, the second quality of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, isn’t dependent on our circumstances or a feeling; it comes from knowing God and being able to praise Him from deep within our souls for who He is and what He has done in our lives.
The Greek word used for “joy” in Galatians 5:22 is chara, which means “joy, rejoicing, gladness – enjoyment, bliss.” It is the most common word translated joy in the English New Testament, and thankfully, Scripture gives us some insight into the origin of chara.
Joy in our Salvation
The primary reason for joy is the salvation that we have through Christ Jesus. We see a glimpse of this truth in Luke 10. As you may recall, Jesus sent out 72 disciples to go into the various towns in pairs to share the kingdom of God with others. Look at their response upon returning: “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ 18 He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17-20). Additional Scriptures show us that when we accept Christ as our Savior, our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8).
In Psalm 51:12, David also reveals that joy originates in salvation: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” The writer of Revelation paints a scene where the heavenly multitude praises God, crying out “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Rev. 7:10). These verses attribute salvation belonging to God, and rightly so – it is God’s gift to us. He owns salvation and gives it freely, but it was His idea, not ours. Isn’t it interesting that the Greek word for “grace” is charis, which means “unmerited favor?” The word is closely related to the word for joy (chara). In her book Living Beyond Yourself, Beth Moore describes it this way: “Joy is an absolute assumption of grace. Joy is literally written into grace! God is telling us, ‘If you only understood what grace means and what you have received by way of it, you would never cease to rejoice!’”
Joy in Discovering God (despite circumstances)
If you read through the Gospels (particularly Matthew and Luke), you will find that joy also results from discovery. Recall the women who discovered Christ’s empty tomb being filled with joy (Matt. 28:8), John the Baptist “leaping for joy” in the womb of Elizabeth when she learned Mary was to bear Jesus (Luke 1:44), and the shepherds’ encounter with the angel heralding joy for the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:10). These real-life examples illustrate a larger biblical truth: joy comes from the discovery of our Lord and Savior in every circumstance where we wish to find Him.
Knowing that we can discover joy in the person, presence, purpose, and power of God alone helps us rejoice even in the most difficult circumstances. Even as James instructs us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2), we can be encouraged by the many examples in Scripture that demonstrate this kind of joy. Paul writes frequently of chara, and more often than not, he does so from a jail cell! When he and Silas were thrown into prison for rebuking a demonic spirit in a fortune-telling little girl, they respond by praising God and leading the jailer and his family to Christ (Acts 16:16-40). From another prison cell, Paul exhorts believers to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). This type of joy comes from communion with God and knowing that everything else is a loss compared to knowing and loving Him (Phil 3:8). Even Stephen, just before being stoned to death, was “full of the Holy Spirit” and praising God (Acts 7:54-60).
It can be sometimes be difficult to feel joyful when life is hard or circumstances are less than desirable. But remembering that (1) happiness is not the same as true joy, and (2) true joy comes from knowing and discovering our amazing God, helps us to praise God in spite of trials or hardships.
Joy in Restoration
A third catalyst for joy, and one that I am certain is familiar to many of you, is joy that results from restoration. In Psalm 71, the psalmist trusts God as his hope, taking refuge in Him and relying on Him for defense and sustenance. And yet – the psalmist also expresses his fears of the influence of wicked men, being forsaken by God, and being put to shame (vv 1, 4, 9-12). Nevertheless, he trusts God to restore him: “Though you made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up” (Psalm 71:20).
I believe that one reason God allows us to experience troubles is because He longs to reveal His joy to us through restoration. Pastor Mark recently talked about why confession of sin is so important for believers. Not only does admitting our shortcomings and moral failures keep us from being proud and becoming hypocritical, but repenting of sin gives God the opportunity to bring restoration that usually causes feelings of relief and joy. 1 Peter 5:10 demonstrates the value of being restored from suffering this way: “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
What an amazing promise that is! Even when we are experiencing “lows” because of sin and/or circumstances, we can have joy knowing that God longs to restore us. Jeremiah 31 enumerates many promises regarding the joy of restoration, including finding favor with God and receiving rest (v2), being built up again (v4), not stumbling (v9), being watched over by God (v10), freedom from sorrow/mourning (vv 12-13), and satisfaction (v14).
Joy in Abiding
A while ago I blogged on John 15, which is an amazing picture of the believer’s relationship with Christ (the true vine). As branches belonging to the vine, we must remain in the vine to be healthy and bear fruit. Throughout the chapter Jesus’ call is the same: He longs for us to “abide/remain in Him.” Even though pruning may be painful at times, it is always for our benefit and always to keep us close to Him. In painting this picture for His disciples, Jesus reveals that remaining in His love is another source of joy: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9-11).
Like agape, true joy (chara) belongs to Christ. He is the Possessor and Giver of true joy. While we may experience fleeting moments of “happiness” through other channels, inner joy flows only from Christ. To remain (abide, dwell, live) in Christ means to cling to Him, to refuse to budge under pressure, to never allow loss to cause us to leave. By remaining in Christ, we can count on His promises and provision even when life’s circumstances become difficult and friends hard to find. Remaining in Christ helps us prevent the loss of joy which can result from serving more than we’re seeking, talking more than we walk with Him, living for spiritual “highs” and being indifferent to His daily blessings, exhausting ourselves, and feeling like we are all alone.
We can always find joy when we are abiding in Christ. As the psalmist writes, “You have made 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).
Joy in the Body of Christ
One of the greatest catalysts for joy for believers is the community and fellowship of the body of Christ. In glancing through Paul’s epistles, you can see how much joy he had as a result of his relationships with the various churches. This joy resulted from reports of their obedience (Rom. 16:19), their longing and concern for him and his well-being (2 Cor. 7:7), and his general desire to share the love and joy of Christ with them (2 Cor. 3:3; Phil 1:25-26). Communion with other saints is one of life’s greatest joys, a gift that God meant us to share. Consider what the following verses reveal about Paul’s source of joy in the midst of trials and suffering:
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with joy given by the Holy Spirit. (1 Thess. 1:6)
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy. (1 Thess. 2:19-20)
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? (1 Thess. 3:9)
Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. (2 Tim. 1:4)
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. (Philemon 7)
In the first century, Paul zealously preached the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, to Jews and Gentiles alike. For this, he often faced persecution and derision. But yet he possessed true chara, in part because he was encouraged and loved by other saints. As leaders, but more importantly as brothers and sisters in Christ, we can be a great source of joy for one another. Isn’t that awesome? God gives us the body of Christ for fellowship and communion, encouragement and accountability. The writer of Hebrews realized the value of believers supporting one another when he issued this challenge: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:24-25).
Challenge
1. Thank God for your salvation and the joy it brings!
2. Encourage another believer today and be a source of joy for him/her.
excellent as always owen!
*hasler
September 26th, 2007
This was terrific, Sarah! I really liked the idea you shared that God will allow us to go through difficult times so He can reveal His joy through restoration. I’ve found that to be true in my life.
Leslie
September 26th, 2007