Joy - Jeremiah's Vow

Lent 2023 | Day 19: The Gospel’s Joy

Joy is one of the principle gifts of the Gospel.

Every day we have an opportunity to consider what the Gospel means to us. We can look at those who have yet to believe in Jesus and make an evaluation of how they are living. Not in a critical way. Not to judge them. But to compare. How are they fairing without Jesus?

Oftentimes, we may think that those who do not practice faith are doing better. We think that because their public presentation looks “better” than what we are going through, they are not dealing with some trial. And that is part of the problem. We all have become masters of deflection. We all are capable of making our lives look less chaotic than they in fact are.

To live at the whims of the circumstances of life can be stressful. Some would even describe it as being debilitating. But how do we break free from the cycle of constant crisis management? I can think of only one way—trusting in Jesus.

For some, this will be considered either cliche or trite. Or maybe even both. What I have come to realize and believe is that I cannot control how others feel about what I now know.

The longer I walk with Jesus, the deeper I go into what he taught, and the more confident in his Gospel I become. Not because I have attained some secret insight. It’s quite the opposite. I have realized my tendency to complicate what Jesus actually said and called me to do.

My confidence grows because Jesus remains faithful in spite of my struggles to be consistent. Jesus never waivers even when I have my doubts.

The Gospel’s Joy is that we will never be alone again. That in surrendering to the Gospel’s truth we enter into a relationship with the Gospel’s architect. That one of the principle promises of the Gospel is that we will be received into a new family, given a new name, and be included in a divine inheritance.

When we learn to operate according to these new realities (and so many more!) our perspective changes. Our temperaments is adjusted to match our transformed reality. Our conduct is conformed to these new expectations. Our lives are filled with joy rather than a temptation to despair.

Joy is one of the principal gifts of the Gospel. When we embrace the gift of eternal life we are given wings to fly to new heights. When we make the gift of God’s grace the guiding principle of our lives, how we see the world changes. And the reason it changes is because we are changed.

¹⁶Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV

Just look again at what Paul told the Corinthians. To have the joy of the Lord is not just something people say to sound spiritual (even though that can and has happened). To have the joy of the Lord is to understand that the momentary afflictions of this world are not worthy of comparison to the riches we have waiting for us in God’s presence.

What we go through in life, if we are walking with Jesus, is producing in us a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Amen, to that!

Lent 2023 Series

Lent 2022 | Day 20: Joy

Many times we confuse joy with happiness. Happiness is what we feel when the conditions and circumstances of our lives produce a sense of excitement because everything seems to be falling into place. What this means is happiness is dependent upon what is happening around us. If things are going well and we feel happy, generally speaking. But if things are not going well, then our feeling of happiness is diminished or even nonexistent.

Joy, however, is not dependent upon the external realities of life. Joy is the condition of our internal self regardless of what is happening around us. Joy is not supposed to be something that comes and goes. Joy is something that is resident within us.

I don’t want us to think that there is no relationship between happiness and joy. There is. Our emotional state at any given time informs how we view what is happening around us. However, happiness can be understood as the immediate reaction to what is happening around us. But joy is more of a long-lasting feeling because it looks further down the road than what is happening now.

As an example of this, when my children were born I was happy. But I was also filled with joy. And the reason for my happiness was because they were now here with us, expanding our family. But I was also joyful because of what their lives meant to me.

Joy is more of a long-lasting feeling because it looks further down the road than what is happening now.
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So let’s fast forward a few years, and now we have teenagers living in our home. Will there will be times when I am unhappy with what they do? Of course, there will be. But that does not change the hope that I feel when I think of what they could be. What they could become. I have joy for the potential of what God can and will do in their lives. And that is not dependent on the choices they make in the immediate moment that may or may not make me happy.

This is a somewhat simplified way of thinking about these two realities of life. My goal is not to define every moment that can either make us happy or not, or explain what can bring any person joy at any given moment. We should strive, the best we can, to understand how what is happening around us and within us can impact how we live our lives.

The season of Lent can be a time filled with moments of happiness or sadness. As we consider the realities of our actions and the consequences they may produce we are awakened to everything we do. But we also know that the season of Lent will eventually come to an end. There will be a morning when we arise and we will give God glory and praise for his goodness and mercy. And on that morning we will celebrate our redemption which was purchased by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

But the sacrifice was not the end of the story, it was merely a parenthesis. What this means for us is as we go through life from year to year, and as we continue our journey in this season of Lent, we must become more aware of the interaction between what makes us happy and what gives us joy.

The interaction between these two realities can oftentimes be difficult to decipher. But that does not mean it is impossible. We should make the effort in understanding this relationship now more than ever.

Lent 2020 | Day 35: “Dawn”

If we are not careful, we can feel like we are enduring a night that will never end.

This could not be further from the truth. The beauty of our world is that for every night there is a morning. Some night may feel longer than we would like, but the world keeps right on turning.

The goodness of God protects us in days and times like these. He has order the universe to operate in such a way that we can trust in its constancy. Every cycle of evening and morning; every cycle of the change of seasons; even the cycle of life and death is a reminder that God is there, keeping everything in its place.

Uncertainty can cause us to waver and fret. But God never changes. God never wavers. God never forgets what he has promised.

The nigh may feel long, but we can hope in the fact that each nigh is followed by a glorious dawn.

Lent 2019 | Day 16: The Daring of Obedience

Obedience, when we speak of it in reference to God, is an act of daring.

We don’t use the word “daring” very often anymore. But it is an interesting word. Merriam-Webster defines it this way: “venturesomely bold in action or thought.”

Obedience, when we speak of it in reference to God, is an act of daring. It is daring to read the Scriptures and submit to its teaching. It is daring to live in community with other believers and seek to walk in peace and holiness. It is daring to forsake your own desires for the sake of those whom God has called you to serve.

When I think about obedience it really is bold action. It takes courage to fight for consistency. It takes the strength of will to see the difficult choices in front of you and embrace the consequences of doing the right thing.

The more I explore this idea of obedience, the more I realized how little I understood the implications of it. It takes time to work through our fear and our anxieties. It takes time to understand the value of submission to God’s will. It takes time because we are limited in our ability to see every aspect of the road in front of us. But, we can see the road. We can know that we are on the right path. The question we all have to face is this: will we give ourselves the freedom to enjoy the journey? Even with the potholes and obstacles we will encounter along the way?

I hope you will.

Lent 2019 | Day 6: The Joy of Grace

The grace of God is a reason for joy.

There is a wonderful hymn I remember from growing up. It is called Grace Greater than our Sin [Source]. It was written by Julia H. Johnston. What I love about this hymn is that it captures some powerful truths about God’s grace and our longing for the redemption that same grace offers and promises.

Just take a few moments and read through it.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
- Refrain
  Grace, grace, God’s grace,
  Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
  Grace, grace, God’s grace,
  Grace that is greater than all our sin!
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide;
What can we do to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

The question I ask myself when I think about these words is this: How could I not rejoice at God’s grace in my life?

The grace of God is a reason for joy. It is a fountain of neverending joy. And we are invited to swim in it. To soak in it. To allow its power and wonder and glory to wash over us and to wash us.

While there are things that can produce joy, they are there to point us to the greatest joy to be had in life, a joy that is found in God’s goodness toward us. Nothing in this world can provide or produce the quantity and quality of joy that Grace does.

The Beautiful Lightness of God’s Commands

When we are able to see God’s words as if for the first time, there is a freshness to them, and a refreshing by them, that we can experience.

My Bible reading group has been reading through 1 John this week. There have been several times this week where I have felt as if I was seeing these words for the first time. It has been refreshing and convicting.

When we are able to see God’s words as if for the first time, there is a freshness to them, and a refreshing by them, that we can experience. I was really made away of the way that John calls us to a deep and consistent obedience of God’s commands. God has said so much, more than we can every really accomplish. But, we are called to obey each and every one of these commands. Not just the ones that are easy, but especially the ones that are hard.

This is where the conviction comes in. I was convicted by the fact of how easy it is for me rely on my own strength, my own abilities and wisdom, to accomplish what can only be done by the enabling of the Holy Spirit. The call of God to obey his commands is not made to the fallen sinner. It is made to the redeemed and Spirit-filled saint.

Are all people under the burden of the commands of God? Are all people, whether saved or lost, responsible conform their lives to the reality of a living God? Yes, on both counts. The issue is that the weight of this reality will feel differently. Or at least it should. This is what I was convicted of this week. I had lost sight of the lightness of God’s commands because I had not really been relying on God’s enabling power like I should have.

Let’s stop a moment and look and what John said:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3 ESV)

His commands are NOT burdensome. I really had to stop and take that one in this week.

If you are feeling the weight of God’s commands in your life, it may be time to stop and do a check on your obedience. When we are living out the reality of the Gospel in our lives by trusting in the enabling power of God’s Spirit, we are living on our own power. Every single time we do this we are doomed to reach the end of our own strength faster than we want to believe. We are not able to obey God on our own. And the truth of it is we are not supposed to do.

The primary reason the commands of God are not burdensome is because the one who bore our burdens has told us that our yoke is in reality his yoke, and that his yoke is easy. And his burden is light (Matthew 11:30). We need to stop pretending that we having this life all figured out. We need to stop trying to squeeze joy out of every cell of our bodies.

Joy is not something that we can manufacture in our own abilities. Joy is the byproduct of our souls rejoicing in the wonder, beauty, and power of the Gospel. That is where joy is found. And the way we tap into that fountain of joy is by trusting in God to give us the power and the will and the strength to do his will. That is the attitude of a child of God.

Look at what the apostle Paul said to the Philippians about their obedience.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV, emphasis added)

If we have to muster up the strength to keep our obeying the commands of God, we are seeking for help from the wrong place. Of that there can be no doubt.

Lent 2018 | Day #4: Joy

When we are denying ourselves something, it is difficult to see any reason to be joyful.

During the season of Lent, it is common practice to forgo something as a sacrificial act. And, along with the privation of this item you are supposed to add a time of intentional reflection on a spiritual reality or truth. While at the beginning that can be easy to do, as the weeks go by, it becomes increasingly challenging. I remember a friend giving up coffee one year. Let’s just say they were not a happy camper for about a week, at least until their body adjusted to not getting that caffeine.

When we are denying ourselves something, it is difficult to see any reason to be joyful. How could we? We are denying ourselves something that we enjoy. What is interesting is that it reveals something important about what “joy” is and how we maintain an attitude defined by this idea.

Joy is something we must choose to maintain. What I mean is this, if our denial of something thing we enjoy affects how we feel, then what we feel is not properly called joy, it is happiness. Joy is what we have when we can focus our attention on what is good and right and noble. Joy is what we have when we commit to holding onto those things we know to be true, rather than the circumstances we find ourselves in. How we think about joy has to change if we are going to experience what Jesus modeled for us. That is what we should be trying to do. Let’s look at a couple of interesting verses in Hebrews 12.

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The part that really stands out and the part I want us to notice is there in verse 2. The writer of Hebrews says that for the “joy set before him,” Jesus “endured the cross.” Just think about that for a minute. Jesus was able to endure the current circumstances because he was able to think about something that was far more joy-inducing than the cross was pain-inducing. It is simply staggering to me what that could be. But whatever it could be it was worth the cost of the cross!

As we continue contemplating this journey of faith, it is important to consider if we have something that inspires such joy that we can endure the various and many trials of this life. We all need something to hold onto and if it is not found in God we may very well find ourselves disappointed when what we are holding onto crumbles through our fingertips.

Satisfied with God

As a Christian, my greatest joy and deepest satisfaction is found in God, and God alone.

Introduction

The culture in which we live tells us that we should have whatever we want.¹ As a matter of fact, if we are unable to get what we want then some injustice has been perpetrated against us. As a Christian, I have to fight against the weight of this temptation. It has become so pervasive in our culture that we have begun exporting it around the world. The craziness is that there is a secular and a religious version of this message. As an American, we call it the American Dream. As a Christian, it takes the form of “name it and claim it” theology. In either form, it is harmful to the human soul and detrimental to our societies and local communities. Continue reading “Satisfied with God”

Count it all Joy

James 1:3-4

³ Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Some day’s life just sucks. Everyone has those days where everything seems to be going opposite as to what we have planned. There are seasons in life that are joyful and peaceful, but there are also seasons in life that are hard. It’s pretty easy to be thankful and full of joy when everything is going our way. But how do we respond when it seems like everything is out of control?

Including myself, I would say that for the most part when life gets hard we begin to question and ask ourselves “What can I do to fix this?” I believe all humans are wired with the desire to feel in control. But as soon as that feeling of being in control goes away there is a sense of panic. As followers of Christ, we sometimes believe that we should get to live an easier life than those who are not believers. But scripture tells us time and time again that there will be times of pain. There will be pain and there will be hardship throughout any person’s life. This is where Christians have an opportunity to stand apart from everyone else. We can stand apart by how we respond to the pain.

James writes in his New Testament letter instructing fellow believers to count it all joy when these times of hardship arise. It’s a crazy idea to think that we should be joyful when life becomes hard. This joy comes from the realization that our pain has a purpose. This purpose is the production of faith and trust.

God will allow times in our lives to go against our current plan. The key in finding joy in all times of life is by understanding that all things are according to His plan, not ours. We so often try to map out every little detail of our lives, but when it doesn’t seem to go as we planned we think God has made a mistake. The question I ask is how can we find joy in the struggle and in the midst of pain?

My answer is: Embrace it.

When the struggle comes don’t fight it. God is there for you. Let Him do the fighting. You are not alone. We are able to see that He has such a greater plan when we can begin to see our hardships as purposeful. True joy is found when we are able to see Christ as our provision and the satisfaction of our need during our time of struggle.

These times in our lives are what make us who we are truly meant to be. Every season of life, the good and the bad, molds and forms us into the people that we are meant to be. It could be so easy for us to become angry with the circumstances of life but the word of God instructs a better response: “Count it all joy.” When we do this we are promised that the testing of faith will produce steadfastness and in this, we are made complete.

It will be a completeness in Christ that can’t compare to anything else this world has to offer. So I pray that as we all endure different seasons of life that we would learn to see the purpose and always find our way back to His word counting it as joy through it all.

1 John 1:4 | The Joy of Fellowship

⁴ And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Verse 4 is the final statement given by John in the opening paragraph of his letter. John speaks of the truth of his witness regarding who Jesus is. He extols the readers to remember that Jesus is the life that they are to seek and he points to the fellowship that is produced as a result of the unifying power of the Gospel.

In these short verses, John has pointed to the undeniable truth that the reason the foundation of our faith is firm and unmoving is because Jesus is the one who holding it all together. It can be easy to forget this. Jesus is the only one capable of sustaining the fragility of our lives and faith. He alone can see into our hearts and into our futures and decisively lead us into the next moment. But, why does any of this matter? John makes an amazing confession. He writes about these things so that “our joy may be complete.”

The second truth that we find here relates to the nature of the joy John says is available to us. John says that our joy may be complete or mature or full. When we come together around the truths of the Gospel we are closer to the kind of life God desires for all his children. Joy is not dependent on the circumstances of life. Many of us have heard this description/definition of joy. What makes this reality so wonderful is that it means that God’s steadfastness is the guarantee for my joy. In other words, that regardless of what happens in life we have the inward assurance that we are secure and safe in God’s arms.

Application

Whenever we find our joy waning let us look to our connection with our local church. John wrote to the church to remind them that it is in community and in fellowship that our joy as God’s people is sustained. We each may have the joy of the Lord within us, but this inward presence is multiplied when we gather together to worship God and are immersed in the gospel of Jesus.