I Choose God's Joy

Jesus, You’re the Center of my joy
All that’s good and perfect comes from you
You’re the Heart of my contentment,
Hope for all I do
Jesus, You’re the Center of my joy.

Richard Smallwood’s song, “Center of My Joy”

We often hear people say, and sometimes say ourselves, “I’m so happy! I have a wonderful job and family, a nice home and car. I’m so blessed!” Isn’t it wonderful to experience God’s blessings and prosperity in our lives? But what do we say when we have to sell our home and car because our spouses or we have lost our jobs? Can we still say that we are “happy?” Do we find ourselves using words like joy, gladness, hope and contentment when our world is falling apart around us? One scripture of hope is Psalm 30:5b, “Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning.” This means that even for believers there are seasons of weeping and sorrow and seasons of joy and gladness. But even in times of sorrow, we can find solace in Psalm 102: 12-13, “You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time has come.” God is saying even in this time of tragedy and sorrow, it is our “set time” to move from this season of sadness into a season of joy. Today is the day that we can choose to have God’s joy!

In the New Webster’s dictionary, joy is defined as intense happiness or great delight. It is synonymous with words like bliss, elation, glee, pleasure and happiness. But what does it mean to have God’s joy? The state of being content and having hope even when things seem chaotic and hopeless is God’s JOY.

People often equate joy with happiness. Psalm 4: 7 distinguishes between the two, “You have put a gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.” In this scripture, the joy that comes from knowing and trusting God is contrasted with the happiness that we sometimes confuse with joy that comes from pleasant circumstances. As believers, it is important for us to recognize the difference between happiness and joy. Joy is lasting; happiness is temporary. Joy is predictable, happiness is unpredictable. Joy overcomes mourning, sorrow and confusion; happiness covers it up. You can have joy and not necessarily be happy.

Our first experience with God’s joy is when we ask God to save us and we become one of His children. When we realize that what has been missing in our lives is the joy that comes from a personal relationship with the Lord, we “with joy draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3). In John 15, Jesus teaches us that when we become connected to the Vine, His joy remains in us and we become full.

But what happens when Satan attempts or even succeeds in stealing our joy through various circumstances of life? How do we keep or regain God’s joy in our lives? Pastor Rosie S. O’neal said in a sermon recently, “You should counter each negative thought or comment with a spiritual response.” By taking this approach to life’s challenges, you choose to use God’s joy to overcome a negative situation. When the doctor says he’s done all he can do, your response must be, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord (Psalm 118:17). When a potential employer says you don’t appear qualified, your response should be, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Having God’s joy allows us to look adversity in the face and declare, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). We ask God for so many things: salvation, patience, wisdom or discernment…but how often do we ask Him for His joy? Jesus urges us in John 16:24, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” This is not limited to miracles, interventions or tangible items, even though our joy becomes full when we ask God for things in Jesus’ name. When we ask God for joy in Jesus’ name, He grants our requests.

The good news of salvation is that Jesus came to give us joy and hope in times of heaviness and sorrow. When we have a personal relationship with Him, he consoles us and gives us the “oil of joy for mourning” (Isaiah 61:3). Oil is a substance that can either be liquid or easily liquefiable. It has various purposes. It can be used as a fuel or lubricant or for food or medicinal purposes. The oil of joy can be used to fuel our desire to serve God even in the face of adversity, to lubricate, soothe and heal our deepest hurts and wounds, or it can be used to feed us the Word of God. Today is the day we can choose to have [the oil of] God’s joy!

For those of us who already have God’s joy, it doesn’t stop here. There is something that we as believers are commanded to do. After we become connected with the true Vine (Jesus Christ) and are full of God’s joy, Jesus gives us some commandments (John 15:1-11). With the benefits of God’s joy, comes responsibility. John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” God’s joy allows us to demonstrate His love even to people who are different than us, who hurt us and who seemingly do not love us. Furthermore, we can go on to love one another so much that we would be willing to do whatever it takes to help our friends, even if it means laying down our own lives (verse 13). When we choose God’s joy, we are eager to go out into the world and bear fruit (John 15:16). We want to share God’s joy with those of our friends and loved ones who have yet to experience it. We become further filled with joy when we share the truth of God’s word and His love with others. Paul talks about this in 1 Thessalonians 2: 13, 19-20 when he says,

when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe….For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.

Part of our joy is derived from the lives that are changed through the true Word of God. Today is the day we can help others choose God’s joy!

I urge all of us to choose God’s joy! To have that “unspeakable joy” that allows us to “bless the Lord at all times.” It is our Father’s fervent desire to impart to all of His children the joy that can only be given and remain through Him. God’s joy requires us to see light in darkness, hope in turmoil, and joy in sorrow. Today is the day to choose God’s joy!