Joy

     It has been said that we live in an “Eeyore culture.”  Sadness and depression permeate America today.  It’s not surprising when most are feeding on a steady diet of news and media focused on scandal, division, and disaster.  In contrast, Christians are to be marked by joy.  Joy is even listed as one of the defining virtues of a Christian (Galatians 5:22,23). The Scripture says, “Blessed (Happy) is the people whose God is the Lord” (Psalms 144:15).   Most Christians I know still have some joy struggles.  How can we grow in our joy?
 
      First, look back.  In Scripture, God’s people are often told to remember.  For example, the Jews were taught to celebrate Passover to look back on the great deliverance of their nation from slavery in Egypt.  As Christians in our own personal history, we can look back to our decision to follow Jesus and receiving His forgiveness of our sins.  For most of us, our pile of rebellious acts against God is high.  Lies, lust, coveting, pride, and sloth to name a few.  All of that is swept away through the blood of Jesus Christ.  We are forgiven!  There is no condemnation for us (Romans 8:1). What a profound gift and a powerful reason for joy.

     Second, look around.  Appreciate the many good gifts from God in your life right now.  Maybe you have good health, not everyone gets that gift.  Maybe you have children or grandchildren, once again what a privilege that is.  Notice the simple blessings.  A few days ago, our baby grandson Scout learned to clap.  His spontaneous eruptions into applause are adorable and make all of us in the family laugh.   Last Sunday I baptized two people attending the church my wife and I started twenty-one years ago.  God is changing lives, and we get to be a small part of it.  I look around in a multi-million dollar building that was paid off this year because of a miracle anonymous gift of $1.7 million to the church.  I often get to sit down to share a meal with our grown children (and one teen still in the home).  I see their love of the Lord, their spouses and now their kids.  How can I not smile? Those reading this are mostly Americans.  Which means that we have the word of God in our language, we can follow God openly, without fear of active persecution, which is a real threat for many believers around the world.  Looking around with eyes of gratitude will supercharge the joy in our lives.
 
       Third, look forward.  Christians look forward to the new Heavens and new Earth.  This is a breathtaking promise that our eternity will include forever access to God in heaven.  It will be a place of beautiful reunion with Christians who have died before us.  And they will be whole, their trauma, sin, and insecurities will all be gone.  In addition, we will be rewarded for the positive impact we had on the Kingdom while on earth.  God sees all those little secret acts of integrity, love and generosity and rewards us for them.  And finally, we will receive resurrection bodies.  I joke that I am a “trophy husband” for my wife, of course I’m overweight and balding so I’m probably more like a participation trophy!  But seriously our bodies, with their quirks and flaws, will be perfected.  Many live in chronic pain, that will be gone!  Joni Eareckson Tada, who has spent over 50 years in a wheelchair as a quadriplegic since she broke her neck as a teenager and has battled cancer as well says that she hopes to pole vault over the pearly gates of heaven in her new resurrection body!

      As we look back, around and forward we can be people of great joy.  We follow a joy-filled Jesus (John 15:11), how can we not smile?

Pastor Derek Dickinson
Journey Christian Church