Waiting for JesusSample

INCREASING YOUR JOY

The joy of our world is based on circumstances and preferences. We think, if this happens, then I’ll be joyful. But the if-then principle rarely works over the long haul. Many of our hopes, which we imagine will grant happiness if we at­tain them, never happen. If our dreams don’t pan out as planned, is joy then impossible?

What we need is something deeper. Something more consistent. Something long-lasting. The joy found in the story of the Bible is more than a happy feeling. It includes feelings, but it is not dependent on them.

In Scripture, true joy flows from the life of God, yet this can feel elusive. Of all the Advent themes, living joyfully seems most challenging. It can be hard to have joy when there’s sorrow around us and we see the pain of others. We can’t just whip up joy at a moment’s notice or force our emo­tions into action. But in the Bible, joy is not something we create so much as it is something we receive. Joy is not a switch we can turn on but rather a state of being we can cultivate as we spend time with God.

Being in God’s presence is the place to start. As you allow his light to break into your life, darkness dissipates. That is what Isaiah is getting at in this passage: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest” (Isaiah 9:2–3, NIV, emphasis added).

That is the core message of Advent. The joy we want will never come from our ability to work it up; it comes from God’s willingness to work it in. In this season, you are invited to experience joy in his presence. Release yourself from the pressure to produce your own happiness. Your joy comes from his faithfulness, seen in the face of Jesus, whose birth angels announced as good news that brings exceed­ing joy.

Whatever you’re experiencing right now, my prayer is that God’s joy would increase in your life as you rest in his presence.

In what ways are you feeling pressure to “produce” your own joy? How might you position yourself to receive the joy of the Lord during this Advent season?