Got Joy?

What does your life run on? If your day was a battery commercial, what would you be selling? The Apostle Paul’s answer is something durable and long-lasting. In Philippians 4:4, he emphatically calls his readers to joy.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

—Philippians 4:4

Joy can also be equated to happiness. We are happy people, unashamedly the happiest of people on earth, because the gospel we embrace is good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). The God who has saved us to Himself is a happy God, known as the “most blessed God” (1 Tim. 6:15).

No one has ever been nor will ever be happier than God. He is God and there is no other (Is. 46:9). He is happy because He does all that He pleases (Ps. 115:3). Nothing stands in the way of His purposes (Is. 46:10). He has no needs (Is. 40:28). He is completely independent and sufficient in Himself (Acts 17:24-25).

And in saving us, the happy God gives us Himself (1 Peter 3:18). He gives us Jesus and in Jesus, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (Col. 1:19). In Christ are unsearchable riches (Ephesians 3:8) and living water (John 7:38).

It is possible to have joy from eating a savory steak meal. In this world are many joys, but what we have in Christ is far superior. Even when the greatest gifts are lost, still we have everything in the surpassing worth of knowing Him (Phil. 3:8).

That means true joy is not rooted in personality or temperament. The virtue of joy is not something like an on and off switch that we flip when it’s sunny outside. Those who know this joy are the most balanced of people. Their moods don’t rise and fall with everything around them. True joy is not connected to our circumstances.

When the Bible speaks about “joy” it is not something that is dependent on everything around us being exactly how we want it to be. “Great station in life, great happiness. Rejoice!” No, if that was merely the message of where joy is found, we either would not be happy very long, or we would be discontent and discouraged too often.

In fact, many of the places joy is spoken about in scripture are areas where suffering and hardship are present. And the motivation for joy in those times is to look forward to the reward of fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore at God’s right hand. That’s because joy is a product of faith, whatever you are trusting in to secure and satisfy you. Faith does not look past the Giver to what He gives, but receives Him as greatest Treasure. So the measure of your joy is not in the heights or depths of seasons, but in the value of the object you are trusting in.

Satisfied people are glad people, and when you’re satisfied with that which is most satisfying, you rejoice with joy inexpressible (1 Peter 1:8). Therefore, it’s possible to obey the command, “Rejoice always, I say again, rejoice” because you know the joy that nothing in this world can give. This durable and lasting joy is secure in Christ who will never fall from His throne.

And this joy is contagious. It spreads through households and bursts out of gospel communities. Joy becomes the manner in which we are to carry out so many of the one-another commands. The bible not only calls us to serve one another, but it specifies how we should serve one another. “Serve the Lord with gladness” (Ps. 100:2). “Show hospitality, without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). What’s the opposite of grumbling? Rejoicing.

The attitude of joy in God’s people no matter the season or circumstance proves the worth of who He is to everyone watching. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is commending the Macedonian church for how they gave financially to another church. He writes “for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.”

It’s impressive when someone gives an abundant gift. It’s supernatural when people are joyfully, gladly giving even when they themselves are lacking greatly. That is a picture of the gospel working in our lives.

And joy is a shared virtue. That’s why gathering corporately is what we’re called to do. We are recipients of grace that comes through other people’s joy. Have you ever shown up to a Sunday meeting downcast and distracted, but then the joy of others expressed through song and fellowship swept you back into the grace of God?

For all these reasons, joy should be the dominant trait in our lives.