This past Sunday we finished up “Unmasking the Emoji” by talking about the emotion of joy, which can also be called happiness. We all know what that feels like, because we’ve felt it before: when we got engaged, won a big ballgame, received a special gift, and so on.
However, there’s also a type of joy that is not an emotion- but rather a choice.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says this: “Rejoice always.”
- James 1:2-3 says this: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
- Psalm 51:8 says this: Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.”
There’s a few observations to made about the kind of joy Scripture is talking about in this case:
#1- It’s constant.
We’re told to rejoice always- or continually. In other words, we are to not stop expressing joy.
What’s really interesting about that is that it appears our rejoicing- our display of joy- is not dependent on our circumstances. It’s independent of our circumstances. And it has to be if it’s to be a constant thing, because as we’ve learned throughout “Unmasking the Emoji,” there will be times where we do not feel joy. We may feel shame, anger, sadness, fear, or joy…but in all cases we are to rejoice- to display joy.
That doesn’t mean putting on rose colored glasses and acting like we have no problems. It doesn’t mean living in denial. It means something different, which leads me to this…
#2- It’s focus is the final product.
The joy we display- especially in the midst of pain and trials- can be expressed because it’s not looking at the moment- but nor is it denying the moment.
It’s looking at the end goal.
From the standpoint of this side of eternity, the goal that joy focuses on is that fact that, when we face difficulties, they ultimately serve to make us stronger and healthier as followers of Jesus. That’s what we should desire as Christians- and therefore we can rejoice as Christians when we face challenges, because they are serving to make us more like Jesus. They are moving us towards our end goal!
From the standpoint of eternity, our focus is the fact that, one day, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
That’s something to look forward to! We can choose joy in the moment as followers of Jesus because we know the final outcome- and the final outcome for us as Christians is victory!
Biblical joy is not a feeling- it’s a sense of hope that leads to peace and assurance that looks to our Savior and trusts that He will work all things out- even when things are terrible. It’s choosing to worship and adore Jesus and cling to hope and express that hope to Him and others- even when the moment feels hopeless.
Joy isn’t living in denial of the moment. It is focusing on the future- even when the moment hurts, which means…
#3- It CAN exist alongside pain.
When David wrote Psalm 51, his heart was grieved over his sin and wickedness. God disciplined him in the aftermath, and David described it as his bones being “crushed.”
Yet at the same time, David prayed that his crushed bones would rejoice!
Unlike the emotion of joy/ happiness, biblical joy exists alongside any emotion we feel. It can exist alongside anger, sadness, fear, or shame. We don’t have to feel joy to express joy, nor will expressing joy take away the emotions we feel in the moment.
BUT- they will get us THROUGH the emotions we feel in the moment because choosing joy in the moment of pain points to the future with Jesus- a future where we will FEEL joy more than we’ve ever known before. And in fact, in the presence of Jesus, that’s the only emotion we’ll feel, because there will be no more need for sadness, shame, anger, or fear.
And THAT is something to be joyful about!