My family recently lost a hero. In his 87th year, my grandfather went to heaven in his sleep. To be honest it isn’t something that I expected to affect me – or at least not in the way it has. But in all the emotions I have been reminded of this essential part of God’s plan – the power of joy.
It is one of the top expressions of the Holy Spirit – second only to love. But as a millennial guy that is prone to getting caught up in the craziness of things, I have realized how joy can be forgotten both in faith and in the ongoing seasons of life we find ourselves in.
One of my favorite scriptures about joy says:
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10
In many instances, I think joy has become watered-down by external representations of happiness and success. But Biblically, this reference to joy actually refers to deep mourning.
Mourning and joy go hand-in-hand because it is only in despair that we truly see the deep undercurrent of joy that supports our daily lives. If you were to take away the familiar and the temporal, what would you find holding you together emotionally, physically and spiritually? I am so glad I found joy.
It was evident in the tears interspersed with laughter as I spoke to my relatives. I found it in the embrace of my dad and the meal we had to celebrate my grandfather’s life. I found it in the insane support of friends and my church community. I found it in the connections with people who had never known him and didn’t know what had happened.
In a time that many people dread – losing someone that truly matters to you – I have found one companion that clings stubbornly: the joy of the Lord. It’s not superficial. It swarms the depths of your being and wells up when the world seems to fail you.
Because God loves us – all of us no matter what we believe or have done – he gives us joy. And the presence of that joy brings a sense of peace that enables us to keep moving forward (little by little). And in that peace, you find the patience to endure and the patience to process. That’s when kindness kicks in, because you have grace for yourself so you can express the same to others. The goodness of this life is then present as we comfort and honor those around us. And in our faithfulness – showing up day in and day out, we learn to be gentle – understanding everyone is busy dealing with their own unique process. And this builds a self-control that enables you to keep on living life instead of crumbling under the weight of sorrow and regret.
Joy is an essential link to the outworking of the Holy Spirit in our lives. First love, then joy, then peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
I don’t know how I would live through tragedy and hard seasons without my dynamic relationship with God. In the past I turned to external fulfillment to try to cope. But it is in the depths of my own soul that I discovered there is a source that needs no refreshing. If you want to know God in the way that I do – in the way that supports you no matter what is happening in the world around you – click on the link below and start your own relationship with Him. It’s worth everything. It will change everything.