Living Beyond Yourself-Session 4- Joy - Well, DUH!

[**can someone please tell me why my 'spacing' editing does not appear on the blog?]

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...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy...(Galatians 5:22a)

While some people are still dealing with last week's topic of rejection and love, Beth starts to talk about joy. Is she totally clueless? Well, no. Simply because joy as poured forth by the Spirit defies pain; an ongoing delight with God as the source, while going through the pain. It is a deep and profound emotion that marks the mature Christian. I have a long way to go, as even now I struggle to write about it. I cannot conjure it up. The source and origin is God, Himself.

Beth talks about Jesus' joy from Hebrews 12:1-2, 10-13, where we see the objective cause of Christ's joy was "in bringing many sons to glory..", while His motivation for enduring the pain of the Cross was "the joy set before Him.."

She noted that we can have joy as well, for we know that ..."weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

Joy, a difficult concept to grab in the midst of a crisis, or ongoing pain. What is it?

A secular source (Merriam Webster's dictionary), defines joy as:

1 a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.

We often confuse it with "happiness" which is more of the temporary emotion that is triggered by and controlled by outward circumstances. However, the joy that Beth talks about is the result of:

- realizing that our names are written in heaven.

- discovering the Person, power, and plan of God in our circumstances.

- restoration.

- "remaining" in Christ.

- relating God's way to God's people.

Beth talked about a particular book signing for a children's book she wrote, where the kids were asked to dress up as part of a royal kingdom. All the little girls dressed up as little princesses, while the boys for the most part liked the part of the brave knights. What struck her was how 'comfortable' they were in their roles, like they were 'made for it.' She likened this to our inheritance as believers, as the King's adopted children. While 'children' can accept this easily, we adults learn to discredit our value with the lies perpetrated by Satan. We forget that indeed, we are something! My teenager has a saying whenever I tell him that someone has remarked that he is a handsome, fine young gentleman. "Well, duh, Mom!" (Like, uh.. factual, Mom!)

Is that how you would respond to the fact that you are royalty, His fair beloved? Well, duh!

Beth mentioned that royalty knows it is royalty and therefore is able to be humble and serve. It brought back a memory of my university days, where kids from, let's say, a 'nouveau-riche' background, or perhaps new immigrants, would really 'dress up' in the trendiest fashions for school. Whereas I would meet students with old faded clothes whose upbringing and family were from, let's say, 'old-wealth'. One was always trying to prove they were 'something' using outer means, while the other who had the inner 'status' had nothing to prove outwardly and therefore could dress any way they wanted to be comfortable.

As a new immigrant, I have found myself trying to prove myself constantly. Finally, I had to give up, because I had no energy left. Some people spend their entire lives trying to win the approval of parents or other significant people. God has been teaching me the truth that I am who He says I am. He has been washing the lies that Satan has tried to carve into my soul that I am irrelevant.

I can honestly say that I can now step back and with joy declare that the only 'cloak' I am wearing is His cloak, the cloak of acceptance, the cloak of a princess in His kingdom.

Father, I ask You to restore unto me the joy of my salvation. Remind me daily that I am who You say I am, so that I may be 'wowed'. May Your Spirit pour forth His joy into me and through me to spill on to the despair around me. Let Your JOY be my strength from this day forth and forever. Amen.

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Here is part of an essay that addresses joy by Earl Palmer: [read the whole essay by clicking on the link.]

http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/areas/biblestudies/articles/050118.html

Facets of genuine joy. According to Lewis, joy is a meaningful acceleration in the rhythm of our relationship with God, quite opaque to evil and the evil one, because all evil is baffled and offended by the essence of joy. Lewis has captured the biblical sense of the word. Joy is the result of truth. Joy is the "gigantic secret" of God (G.K. Chesterton) that the world could never have expected, but it clears the air so that we see things as they really are.
Joy causes celebration. Gladness and song go with joy; the slightest witticisms cause laughter when joy is present. There's an energy in joy that cures fatigue and discouragement. This is what James says in his letter to churches that face persecution: "Count it all joy when you face trials knowing that God's faithfulness lasts."
Joy has a rhythm. Jesus unites peace with joy in his Thursday night discourse. Joy is a quietness as much as an exuberance. Together the two create a fundamental rhythm.

Joy is presence. It describes our relationship with God. Joy comes from knowing the Lord and knowing that the Lord is nearby. In the New Testament, joy is related to prayer and friendship with God. Jesus invites his disciples to pray so their joy might be full (John 15:11-17).

Joy is a protection. Quite opaque to evil and the evil one, joy is a mystery to evil just as laughter can be a sign of the dignity and resilience of brave hearts in the face of danger.

In J.R.R. Tolkien's story The Lord of the Rings, Frodo and his friend Sam Gamgee laugh out loud high on the dangerous reaches of the dark tower where laughter had never been heard. Their laughter causes quakes on that mountain that had so long been under the oppressive control of evil. Their laughter was defiant and innocent and profoundly good at the same moment. It was good because it had its source in joy, and that made it powerful as well as destructive against the powers of evil.
Evil cannot understand joy. The devil is more austere and serious than God is, which makes us stop and think that if we are to feel at home in heaven, we will need to enjoy joy because "joy is the serious business of heaven" (G.K. Chesterton). It should also be the serious business of our lives and of our ministry.

Earl Palmer is pastor of University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington.