Many people think of happiness and joy as the same thing, but they’re not. I want to dig deep and embrace a faith that is a state of mind not just a feeling. The joy of their Lord is given to those who see it and accept that it is not dependent on external situations.
We all want happiness, right? We want things to go well and have an overall feeling of well-being. However, that happiness comes and goes depending on what is going on in out lives.
We get a bonus from our boss and our hard work is rewarded – we are happy. A storm comes abs falls on our car and we’re not happy.
We spend the afternoon sledding and playing in the snow with our children -we are happy. Our beloved pet dies -and we’re not happy.
Happiness is a feeling that changes depending on what is happening around us. What we need is a way to continue feeling happy even when things are falling apart.
What we need is the joy of the Lord.
The Joy of the Lord is Our Stregth
One of the more popular Bible verses this kind of joy comes is from Nehemiah 8:10 which says, “The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.”
It’s the setting in Jerusalem after the Children of Israel have been punished by the Babylonian captivity. These Jews have returned from exile determined not to make the same mistake as their ancestors.
They build up the walls of the Temple and the city gates, attempting to make it livable again, facing opposition on every side.
After years of hard work, Ezra the scribe stands in the middle of the “town square” and begins reading the laws of God. This is the first time many of these people have heard the Word of God directly from the text. They hang on to Ezra’s every word.
The people are so moved they begin to cry. Nehemiah tells them that the day is holy (it is the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles) and that they should eat, drink, and rejoice because the “joy of the Lord is your strength.” The people rejoiced greatly because they understood the words that were declared to them.
I believe this means they chose that day to follow God’s laws and were declaring their faithfulness to Him. Maybe that’s what the true joy of the Lord is all about. Choosing to follow God with an obedient heart, dedicating our lives to our Lord and Savior.
“You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more” – Psalm 16:11.
The Biblical Meaning Of Joy
So, we know that joy is not a feeling like happiness, but rather an emotion that does not change with the wind. The joy of the Lord can be found through obedience to God.
It is redemption, the reconciliation of fallen man with his Creator? A personal experience of dedication and fellowship with Jesus that leads us to the biblical meaning of joy.
Salvation and eternal security alone should bring us joy. Our problems and heartbreak here on earth are only temporary. We will live with Jesus throughout all eternity. It is a small price to pay.
Paul to,d is in Hebrews 12:2 what suffering had to do with joy,
“Looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Paul is one who understood that joy comes only from, looking ahead to what is beyond this world and living a life devoted to Jesus. One of my favorite accounts of Paul is the setting in Philippi. Paul and Silas are preaching and have stirred up the spiritual world a bit.
A young woman who made a lot of money for her masters due to get gift of fortune telling begins to follow them around, proclaiming loudly who they are. She did not do this because she believed, but because the spirit inside her was troubled at their presence.
For several days, Paul patiently ignored her and finally had enough. He turned around and freed her from the vile spirit. Because of this, she no longer had the ability to tell fortunes and this did not sit well with her masters. They came after Paul and Silas.
Paul and Silas end up beaten and thrown into jail. Their hands and feet were bound in stocks. Not a good place to be in life.
Paul begin to praise God. Yep, Paul praised God after he had been beaten and thrown into jail. Instead of thinking, this was God’s fault, you know as Paul was only setting the poor girt free from Satan. He shouldn’t be in this situation.
He had a choice. Give up and sulk or thank God for setting him free from a life of regret. He chose the later and from his lips poured beautiful praise that as heard throughout the prison.
Paul’s joy was not dependent on his situation. It was dependent on his love for Jesus and eternal life.
In the end, God breaks Paul out of prison with an earthquake and jail and his family come to salvation.
We suffer because God is purifying our hearts and from that purification pours out the joy that cannot be quenched by any of life’s trials. This is the joy of the Lord.
“Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one can take from you” -John 16:22
True love of God and obedience to Him bring joy.
“As my Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy man remain in you, and that your joy may be full“ – John 15:9-11.
From Pity to Praise 