Alive on the Vine: A Look Into Johnનમૂનો

Day 4: Fullness of Joy

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11, ESV).

Jesus might have said, “I’m telling you all this so you won’t be surprised at how hard and painful this is going to be,” or “because you really need to detach from the selfish and sinful pursuits of this world,” or “because in this world you will have trouble, period.” All of those would have been true, or at least partially so.

But they aren’t the whole story, and they aren’t God’s ultimate purpose for his people. Everything Jesus tells his disciples in this discourse, even his difficult words, point to a higher goal: that their joy—or his joy in them, since they are united to the vine—would be full, robust, overflowing.

It’s easy to miss the joy of Jesus’ last week because it’s obscured by so many troubling events. Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane that he might avoid the pain of the cross if there’s any other way at all to accomplish this fallen world’s redemption. That was an extraordinarily excruciating prayer—after all, who would want to suffer the torture of the cross?—but Jesus did not make this sacrifice unwillingly. In fact, he was drawn into it by something stronger than pain: the joy that awaited him (Hebrews 12:2).

If shalom is the culture of the Kingdom, joy is its mood. Or, as C. S. Lewis puts it, “Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” While many religions portray God as stern, angry, or detached, Scripture portrays him as a joyful celebrator who delights in his people (Isaiah 62:5; 65:19; Zephaniah 3:17; Luke 15:7, 10, 31-32). If we’re going to be conformed to his character at all, we’ll need to be joyful. He insists.

Re-Envision Your Mood

A joyless Christian is as oxymoronic as a loveless one. That doesn’t mean we won’t ever grieve, lament, or be discouraged. Trying to cover these emotions reflects an immature faith. But underlying them all should be a deep, abiding joy in the fullness of God’s Kingdom and our intimate union with him. He is joyful, his Kingdom is a joyful place, the realm of glory overflows with joy, and we are called to reflect all of the above.

Your thoughts shape your perspective, and your perspective affects your moods and attitudes—always. If you think your attitudes are inevitable, envision them instead as a matter of putting on the right lenses. Notice what God is doing, even in difficult circumstances. Thank him for everything he gives, no matter how small. Root your perspective in the realm of glory and let your joy build. Eventually it will overflow—and look a lot like the Kingdom it comes from.