Christian Joy
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to the Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." –Nehemiah 8:10
Sadly, some of the most miserable people I’ve ever met also happened to call themselves Christians. You’ve probably seen someone similar: they dutifully show up to church on Sunday mornings, they may try to live the Christian life (if living the Christian life means following a lot of rules), and… they just seem curmudgeonly, like they’ve had all the joy of life sucked out of them. Not exactly poster boys for Christ, huh?
As Christians, we are called to live a life of joy. James tells us to be joyful when we are tested and endure trials (Jam 1:2-3). Peter says we live a life of “inexpressible” joy (1 Pet 1:8-9). Paul exhorts us to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philip 4:4). There’s no way you can be a Christian and live a dour life.
But how about the times when we face anxiety? What about tough situations, when life throws us a curve ball? Indeed, Jesus never promised us the easy, prosperous life (despite what a lot of today’s preachers might tell you). In fact, He warned us of the very opposite (Mark 13:9, John 16:33). In many ways, the Christian life is a hard one. Just like non-Christians, we face all sorts of situations that cause unhappiness. Additionally, we are told to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), we struggle with a sin nature (Rom 7:14-25), and we face resistance because of our faith (2 Tim 3:12). To top it off, we are even tested by God in all kinds of ways (1 Pet 4:12).
How do we find joy in all that? First, we must realize that Christian joy is something different from the shallow and fleeting “happiness” modern Westerners tend to pursue. Our joy is deeper, more abiding, and found in something outside ourselves, namely God. Over and over, the Psalms point us to the joy we find in God despite our circumstances (e.g., Ps 30:4-5, Ps 32:10-11, Ps 51:7-8, Ps 4:6-7, Ps 5:11). We find joy in God, and the more we study His word (Jer 15:16), obey His commands (Ps 119:109-112), and live to His glory (Philip 2:14-18), the more our joy grows.
Let’s look at an example of joy in spite of diversity. The passage at the top of this article quoted from Nehemiah, where the people are basically told to go party hardy. Why? Well, in context, the Jews have returned to their homeland after being in exile in Babylon. Jerusalem and its walls had been destroyed, they were surrounded by enemies who wanted to wipe them off the planet, and the land had become a wilderness. All in all, a sad situation. Now, on top of all that, Ezra reads them the Law of Moses, and the people realize they have seriously neglected God and lived outside His will. They are sobbing and grieving in despair, a sign of repentance. But Nehemiah tells them to stop crying and go celebrate. Why? The joy of the Lord is their strength. Despite all the bad things facing them, the people can go enjoy themselves because their God is also joyful and He strengthens them. This doesn’t mean the people are to be Polyannish about their situation. The threats they face are real; the depression and anxiousness they feel are real. However, along with those threats and feelings, they also have something more than a momentary happiness. They have a deep-seated joy that reflects their God’s joy and gives them strength.
So, fellow believer, be joyful. Be joyful in this day that God made (Ps 118:24). Be joyful that God loves you (John 16:27). Be joyful that God gave you the gift of eternal life (John 4:14). Be joyful that you have His word (Ps 119:162). Be joyful when you suffer for Jesus (1 Pet 4:13). Be joyful that you will one day get to be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:16-17).
Let God’s joy strengthen you, and—in turn—spur you on to joy.