Volume 50 Number 2 February 2008
One thing that must be understood is that joy is not equal to happiness. Jesus and nearly all of God’s people throughout scripture had many moments in which they weren’t happy. In fact when we consider that our citizenship is in heaven
(Philippians 3:20) there is no way we could always be happy in this sinful world. We used to sing a song when I was a child in VBS called “J-O-Y”. One line in that song went “j-o-y, j-o-y happy as can be…”. It’s not my intent to police VBS songs, but that’s not exactly accurate. Happiness is an emotion, Joy is a state of mind.In the Greek the most common word for joy is “chara”, which according to Vines means “joy, delight, gladness”. It’s similar to the Greek words we find for grace and gift, and rightfully so. When we think about God’s grace and the gifts that await us in heaven, why shouldn’t we rejoice always. Thinking back upon times in your life when you’ve received gifts from someone, isn’t your response proportional to the value you placed on that gift. So it should be with the children of God as we keep our minds focused on heaven above
(Colossians 3:1-2).Part of why I think we struggle to rejoice always is because we lose sight of what sin does to our relationship with God. Consider passages such as
Isaiah 59:1-2 and Revelation 21:8 in which sin separates us from God. In the latter passage it will eternally separate us from God should we not make things right with him here. When we mature in the Lord I think we understand how egregious sin is, and how wonderful the gift of salvation is. I have work to do personally, but I appreciate this more now than I did 5 or 10 years ago. I know that many of you reading this have suffered things I can’t begin to understand. James 1 clearly tells us that these trials can make us stronger, and it’s my hope that no matter where you find your life right at this moment you can come to a point where you rejoice always.“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11). “And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” (I John 1:4).
Both Jesus and John in the verses above point out their understanding of how important it is for us to have joy in our lives.Perhaps we struggle sometimes because we equate rejoicing with over-the-top emotionalism. Clearly we should never reach a point where emotions trump the word of God. Conversely we never want to become so formal that they need to put a mirror under our nose to see if we are breathing. As a small child there was an older gentlemen who used to scare me to death with his thunderous ‘Amen’s’ during the service. As I’ve gotten older I have come to appreciate a well-placed ‘Amen’ in the service.
Paul’s command in I Thessalonians 5:16 is by no means easy, but with focus and effort I believe it can become a way of life for us all. Imagine if all of us could be steadfast in our keeping of this commandment, how bright our lights would shine in a dying and despairing world.