Rediscovering JoySample

Several years ago, 38-year-old mother of four, Kara Tippetts, courageously fought a battle against breast cancer as many watched on. In one interview, Kara shared powerful imagery for what she was experiencing as her condition worsened: “I feel like a little girl whose dad is asking her to leave the party early and I’m throwing a fit. I’m not afraid of dying. I just don’t want to go.” 

Throughout her journey, Kara gave readers an insider’s look through her blog at what she was doing. More so, she demonstrated what it looked like to stare fear in the eye. Instead of giving up, she used her suffering to speak hope to others. Not long before she passed away, she said, “The world says I should be angry, that I should be shaking my fist at God. But I want to be able to share the story that suffering isn’t a mistake, and it isn’t the absence of God’s goodness because He’s present in pain.”

None of us will get through this life without suffering, and as we experience God’s gift of joy during and after our pain, we realize that we too have a gift to offer the world. 

First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Once we have accepted the free gift of joy, our lives are changed forever. No, our circumstances may not change. But our worldview and our ability to deal with pain and suffering will! We can see that God is with us; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His love is never-ending.

Jesus concludes in John 15:11 that, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

God’s promises in Scripture reveal more of Him. And the more we know of Him, the more we naturally reflect that to others.

But what does offering joy in suffering look like? First, it looks like Jesus, who spoke freely and openly about God’s love for the world. Second, it acts like Jesus, who always prioritized people over tasks. Third, it prays like Jesus, who radiated a natural connection to the Father. Finally, it believes like Jesus, who humbled Himself because of a joy that would result. 

We offer joy to others by our words of hope and presence, by our acts of love and kindness, by our prayers of belief and faith, and by knowing that we are intricately tied to all those around us through a God who created us all and rejoices over us all.  

In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis writes, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Can we too be a megaphone to a suffering world that joy does exist even in the darkest valley? Yes, we can! You can.

Tomorrow, we will highlight just one way to live a life of joy this year.