Joy is as essential to the Christian life as oxygen is to the body.
Many of us might think of joy in the Christian life as a nicety — perhaps borderline superfluous. We live morally-oriented lives engaging with spiritual disciplines to produce behavioral change, hoping the end result is a peaceful way of life. As we read through Scripture, we highlight the things we should do or ought not do, and attempt transformation as a result, often experiencing some pervasive sense of inadequacy. What we see in Scripture is that joy is not optional in the life of a Christian. — it is an overflow of fruitfulness.
When we think of biblical commands, we frequently think of behaviors: Do this; do not do that. However, the most repeated biblical commands invite a certain posture, a way of being, or an orientation by contrast – behavior flows from being. Two oft repeated commands in Scripture are, “Do not fear” (Luke 1:30 and others) and “Praise the Lord” (Psalm 9:11 and others). These kinds of commands are not a robotic behavioral response so much as an orientation. The command to be joyful is no different. In Psalm 149:2 we read, “Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!” In the New Testament, Luke 10:20 is an example of this: “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Biblical joy has more to do with a way of being than a disciplined action.
Joy is as essential to the Christian life as oxygen is to the body. We think of joy in the Christian life as a nicety, perhaps borderline superfluous. Joy is not optional in the life of a Christian. It's an overflow of fruitfulness. Click To Tweet
Sometimes there translations of our English Bibles are not able to fully convey the Jewish emphasis on joy. Psalms 1 and 2 form the thesis for the 150 psalms that comprise the Psalter. Psalm 1 begins with, “Blessed is the man…” (Psalm 1:1). The Hebrew word translated as “blessed” could also be translated as “fullness of joy.” The thesis for the book of Psalms is the pathway to joy! Psalm 1:2 describes the actions of the person who has fullness of joy: “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Notice the meditative posture towards the Law is one of delight — not an obligatory duty. This blessed person who is pursuing fullness of joy is then described in Psalm 1:3 as “a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” A life of joy is the result – the overflow – of a person that is calm, differentiated, resilient, and confident. Joy in this context characterizes a type of foundational virtue for the child of God.
The New Testament also constantly employs joyful language. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), there is an emphasis on joy. In Matthew 5:3-11, commonly known as the Beatitudes, each line Jesus begins with the English word, “blessed.” The Greek word translated “blessed” could also be translated, “Oh the happiness!” Many of the statements Jesus makes do not seem to align with joy until we recognize that Jesus is referring to the counter-intuitive nature of the Kingdom of God. There is joy for those who mourn, for they will be comforted. There is joy for the meek, because they will inherit the earth. In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom, joy is not found through power, strength and wealth — joy has a transcendent quality that is rooted in relationship with God. Joy is available to the Christ-follower regardless of their circumstances. The Apostle Paul affirms this reality in 2 Corinthians 6:10, writing that Christians may be “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” Even in our earthly sorrow, there is a hint of transcendent joy that permeates through the life of a Christian.
A life of joy is the result – the overflow – of a person that is calm, differentiated, resilient, and confident. Joy in this context characterizes a type of foundational virtue for the child of God. Click To Tweet
You may have heard the old adage, “God is not as interested in your happiness as your holiness.” This is a great example of a false dichotomy. This statement pits obedience and right living against joy. The joy of humanity is infinitely important to the author of joy. Finding joy in God and experiencing joy in life are not just modern Christian concepts. Jonathan Edwards once wrote, “God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.” Jonathan Edwards understood that delighting in God and finding joy through him is the purpose of humanity. Humans were created with an orientation towards joy, and a corresponding desire to experience it regularly. Even when humans chase the counterfeit of joy, it proves that there is a substantive joy for which we were made. C.S. Lewis wrote about this kind of joy in his well-known sermon, The Weight of Glory: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” God designed humanity to be creatures of joy.
In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom, joy is not found through power, strength and wealth — joy has a transcendent quality that is rooted in relationship with God. Joy is available to the Christ-follower regardless of their circumstances. Click To Tweet
Joy is not the extravagant result of a Christian living in a state of material wealth. Joy is an experience that God designed for the normal human experience. To live out the identity of a child of God is to take part in the Divine, lavish nature of joy. The path to joy is not hidden or secret, but it is often neglected. The path to joy is filled with the simple delight that comes from recognizing the reality of being a chosen child of God. To experience the fruit of Christianity, is to taste the true joy that God gives in abundance.
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Josiah Hoagland works full time as a chaplain director serving four hospitals in Northwestern Minnesota and as a part-time Army Reserve chaplain. In his free time, he can be found preaching in local churches, reading a good book, playing his guitar and spending time with his beautiful wife Lisa and four kids.
The path to joy is not hidden or secret, but it is often neglected. The path to joy is filled with the simple delight that comes from recognizing the reality of being a chosen child of God. Click To Tweet
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