TRUE JOY

I don’t know if any of you feel the same way that I do, but it feels like with every passing day there seems to be less and less joy in this world. It could be due to the fact that we have news from around the world easily accessible to us with a click of a button. Or maybe you don’t even have to click; maybe you’re like me and you get “Breaking News” sent straight to your mobile device through push notification.

There even seems to be certain times of the year, seasons if you will, that are set aside for all of us to experience joy. As I write this, we are in the middle of the “ber” months, September, October, November and December. These months make up fall, a season that in the cycle of life represents death. Yet in these months we have holidays that are supposed to bring about joy. If you’re a parent, watching your kids get excited about rolling around in the fallen leaves, dressing up in their Halloween outfit, being thankful for life by cutting into a tasty juicy turkey and of course the holiday set aside for the ultimate joy, Christmas.

But we also know that these holidays bring a lot of stress, anxiety, fear and frustration. We fear for our children’s safety on Halloween. Who are they with, what candy did they get from whom? Are they making wise decisions? 

On Thanksgiving, we seem to have less to be thankful for these days. We get dressed up, put on our “thankful” faces, and mingle with family and friends. Ultimately, that’s what Thanksgiving has boiled down to, just another day of gathering with family and friends to eat what should hopefully be good food.

Then there’s Christmas. As the song goes, “Joy to the world!”, or should I say joy to the corporations that have shoved Christmas in our faces since the second week of September (insert dramatic eye role). Christmas provides more stress than joy doesn’t it? The Christmas we’ve created in our culture anyways. We have barely entered into October and my wife and I have been talking for a couple of weeks already about how we need to save for Christmas presents. But life happens. Bills need to get paid, emergencies come up, student loans are still there (sigh). Then out of nowhere December shows up, Christmas is two weeks away and the pressure to buy presents you don’t have the money for weighs heavily on your shoulders. Why? Because you want a great gift for yourself, so you can’t be the jerk that receives and doesn’t give.

Maybe as you read this you feel a tightness in your chest, your palms are getting sweaty and your bank account is feeling empty. You’re regretting ever reading this. 

So, where’s the joy? After all this blog is called “True Joy” after all. Well I think we can all experience true joy based on the first and second greatest command found in the Bible. 

“One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!””

Luke 10:25-28 NLT

Now in context, this passage clearly states that this “expert of religious law” was asking Jesus this question to trap him. However, the question was how does this man inherit eternal life? Jesus asks him what their law teaches, and in simple form the man responds with “love God, love others.” To which Jesus responds by affirming his understanding. However, I think we can also use this information to gain an understanding as to where true joy comes from. We can also easily remember where true joy comes from through the acronym “J.O.Y.” This acronym will help us experience joy when we keep it in proper order.  First, “J”

“Jesus First”

One of the hardest things about Christianity to understand is whether or not Jesus is God or just a man. The answer is yes! Jesus was 100% man and is 100% God. Therefore, when this religious elite man answered that the greatest command was to love the LORD your God with all you heart, soul, strength and mind, he was laying out for us that we are to love JESUS with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. So if we want to experience true joy, it begins with Jesus as the foundation to everything we do.

“Others Second”

The second command was to love others, but not just in any particular fashion. No, we were to love others as ourselves. So let me ask you, how are you doing at that? Me? I’m failing at it.  Probably one of the hardest things to do is to love others. They’re smelly, weird, so strange things, believe differently than us. I mean how can I as a Denver Bronco fan ever love an Oakland Raider fan? We are oil and water, we don’t mix! As an Oklahoma City Thunder fan, how could I ever love a guy like Kevin Durant after bailing on the team to join the Golden State Warriors? I know it’s been a couple of years. I’m working on this ok?

But this is exactly the example Jesus set for all of us. God came from His throne in heaven to put on flesh and dwell with His creation, and for what reason? To serve not be served. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). God put all of us above Himself. That’s how much He loved others.

If we are so quick to make sure we are fed, clothed, warm and happy, how much more should we be focused on making sure others are fed, clothed, warm and happy? Especially when we are supposed to love others as what? As we love ourselves. Again, how are you doing on this one? No judgement from me, I could be doing way better. 

“Yourself Third”

Once we  have the first two parts down, then we can finally focus in on ourselves. Why? Well who else is there to focus on? We have to remember to take care of ourselves as well. A little vacation here, a little time away there is good for the soul. Life does a great job of throwing stress at our faces. New born babies, bills, jobs, flat tire, leaky roof, but in the midst of all of that we still have to be able to take care of ourselves and enjoy life. After all, Jesus did say he came to give us life, and we are to experience to the full (John 10:10).

Experiencing true joy doesn’t mean focusing on what you desire and forsaken all others, it means placing things in their proper order so we can experience the joy filled life God as called us to live. It means throwing away the “masks” we wear hiding ourselves from others. It means finding real thankfulness for the blessings God has given us, and it’s knowing the true gift that brings joy is that of a life filled with Jesus. 

So how do we experience true joy?

Jesus First

Others Second

Yourself Third

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.”

Philippians 4:4-5 NLT

peace!