Joy in an Unhappy World

Three hundred years ago, Isaac Watts, composed a book of poems based on Psalms. He worded them in New Testament language referring to Christ’s work on earth. Over a century later, Lowell Mason set one of Watts’ poems, an adaptation of Psalms 98, to a melodic portion of George Frederick Handel’s Messiah. You probably sang it yesterday or will tonight at a Christmas Eve service. Joy to the World has become an all-time favorite Christmas Carol. Surprisingly however, it has nothing to do with Jesus’ birth; the Psalm focused on God’s protection and restoration of His chosen people. Watts and Mason composed and arranged it to celebrate Christ’s second coming. Nothing inappropriate with singing it at Christmas, but let’s not lose sight they orchestrated Joy to the World to remind us of why we should have joy all year. The hymn should resound in our churches throughout the year.

Joy is not a seasonal occurrence; God intends joy be our state of mind every day of the year. Scripture shows joy flowing through the birth, the life, and into eternity with Jesus. When the angel announced His birth to the shepherds, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people (Lk 2:10). When Jesus sent out a group to minister, the seventy returned with joy (10:17). After Jesus ascension, the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy (24:52 NIV). When the Jews drove Paul and Barnabas out of Pisidian Antioch for preaching to Gentiles, the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52). The Epistles constantly speak of joy. John writes in Revelation of joy down to the very end of the age, “Let us rejoice [have joy] and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready” (Rev 19:7).

But, “How can we have joy in such an unhappy world?” First, we must understand the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is an emotion based on external circumstances in which we experience feelings of contentment, satisfaction, bliss, and intense pleasure.  But it can all be gone as quickly as it came when outside situations change. Different writers call happiness a cosmetic, a temporary high, a surface emotion, or what the world offers. On the other hand, joy is independent of circumstances. Happiness exists on the surface while joy flows from a deeper source. We can compare happiness to a river that rises and falls according to the weather. Joy is like the constant flow of a deep artesian well of water. The world offers endless sources of happiness—movies, comedy, sports, drugs, alcohol, etc. and even churches may try and motivate happiness by entertainment. Only one source exists for joy—Jesus Christ.

Knowing the disciples would soon experience the unhappy situation of His crucifixion and death, Jesus gave them this assurance, These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full (Joh 15:11). Paul faced constant unhappy circumstances, but joy was his undergirding strength because of his relationship with Christ. His letter to the church at Philippi focuses on joy despite the fact he was in prison. Sixteen times he writes about joy and rejoicing. He tells the church, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice (4:4)! Ten years earlier Paul’s ministry in Philippi began in prison. Officials had beaten Paul and Silas, arrested them, and placed in stocks for delivering a girl from demon possession. But even these miserable circumstances didn’t dampen his joy. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns [to celebrate in song] to God (Acts 16:25).

Three times in Jesus’ teaching He included the phrase and that your joy may be made full (Jn 15:11; 16:24; 17:13). In his letters, John also uses this phrase and the phrase, joy may be made complete (2 Jn 1:12: 1 Jn 1:4). This begs the question; can I be less than full? “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day” (Henri Nouwen). Satan through the world and other people will try to steal our joy or cover it with clouds of trouble or keep our focus on our unhappiness. Jesus said these things I have spoken to you. Now, He speaks to us through His written Word, the Bible and the Holy Spirit. When our joy seems less than full, read His Word. David also tells us, In Your presence is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). Get in His presence.

The most significant source of joy comes from the Holy Spirit and the fruit He produces in us. But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy (Gal 5:22). I can’t produce a single apple on my trees. All I can do is take care of them with water, fertilizer, insecticide, and pruning. Then nature must do the rest. We can’t produce joy or any other of these fruits. All we can do is water ourselves with the Holy Spirit, feed ourselves through the Word, and resist Satan’s attempts to destroy the fruit. The Holy Spirit will bring the fruit. He will produce joy we can’t explain.

Truly, it is a season to rejoice over His birth, but how much more should we have joy over the fact He is coming again, and He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good-tears gone, crying gone, pain gone (Rev 21:4 MSG).

Sustaining Word for the Week: Joy to the world the Lord is come and will come again.

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