True, lasting joy is found in the presence of God

Walter Wangerin, a widely recognized writer on the issues of faith and spirituality, wrote: “The difference between shallow happiness and a deep, sustaining joy is sorrow. Happiness lives where sorrow is not. When sorrow arrives, happiness dies. It can’t stand pain. Joy, on the other hand, rises from sorrow and therefore can withstand all grief.”

The Greek word for joy is “chara” and the Greek word for grace is “charis.” The close association of these two words helps us understand that joy is, as Philip Ryken put it, “…the ability to take good cheer from the gospel …rejoicing in one’s eternal identity in Christ.”

It is the grace of God that brings us into a right relationship with God and establishes our identity in Christ. The dispensing of his grace in our lives is what gives us great joy.

The thing that sticks with me as I consider what joy is, is that it is enduring. It is part of who we are as Christians. It is a part of our character because it is part of God’s character. It is a fruit of the spirit, after all.

Happiness is like an orange peel that when stripped away reveals the real fruit of joy inside. Joy is something that is unaffected by circumstances. It is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart. Joy is deep. It is a settled state of contentment, confidence and hope.

As we carry within us the fruit of the spirit, everyone around us is to know the taste of the lasting and refreshing joy of God, not just the peel of happiness.

When my favorite basketball team (Arizona Wildcats/Phoenix Suns) wins, I am happy. When they lose, it does not affect my joy.

When I ride on a roller coaster, I am giddy! I laugh, I shout, I don’t scream like a girl, I have a blast. When the roller coaster ride stops, I do not lose my joy.

My wife, my children, and my close friends all make me happy. When they do or say something that disappoints me or hurts me, I don’t lose my joy.

One of my high school classmates calls me every March on the anniversary of our loss in the state championship basketball game in the Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It almost affected my joy. What was he thinking?

No. Joy is not found in these temporal things. Joy is found in the eternal, the unchanging, the limitless God. Perhaps you’ve heard the helpful acronym for joy before: J – O – Y: Jesus first; Others second; Yourself last. Joy comes from having the right priorities and having things in the proper perspective.

But joy is really about more than priority and perspective. It is about presence, God’s presence. True, lasting joy is found in the presence of God. It comes from an interactive relationship with the almighty God of the universe.

Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

A relationship with God, which is brought about by the regeneration of our hearts through the Holy Spirit’s application of Jesus’ atoning work on the cross, means that our sins have been forgiven, our guilt has been taken away, God’s wrath due to us because of our sin has been averted, and we are given the righteousness of Christ to wear in God’s presence. That’s why we’re joyful.

When we have the right perspective about joy — that it comes from a restored relationship with the unchanging and eternal God of the universe — then the actions or words of those around us cannot destroy or rob us of our joy.

That is true with the global issues we face: pandemic, vaccines, and politics. Have you allowed any of these issues, the ways that people react to them, the debates over them, to rob you of your joy? This is also true with the personal issues we face: have you allowed your cancer, bad back, bad dad, bad attitude, to rob you of your joy?

It is God’s presence in our lives that gives us joy and that protects that joy. Several years ago, Shelley and I went on a one-day rafting trip down the Grand Canyon.

We excitedly got onto the raft and felt the slight bob of the raft in the current. We faced a couple of little rapids and really enjoyed them. But as the journey continued we faced some more fierce rapids.

The enjoyment in the latter was much superior to the former. We would have missed the fun of the good rapids if we had gotten out of the water after the slight bob in the current or after the little rapids.

The Christian life is like that. We miss out if we stop progressing. The initial stages of our faith are enjoyable but they are nothing compared with what God will introduce us to as we continue to travel with Him. We must stay the course.

It is as we go through life enduring trials that our joy will grow. The more we rest in God and his presence in our lives, the more we will give off the flavor of joy.

There are some words that we all long to hear one day when this journey finally comes to an end: “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” — Matthew 25:21

We look forward to that day when we will be in heaven with God forever and we will know his complete presence and experience full and complete joy.

If you don’t know this true joy, it’s because you don’t truly know the presence of the true God. Is your sin still separating you from a relationship with God? Repent of your sin, turn to God in faith, know his forgiveness and presence. And then know his joy. Let that joy flavor your life so that others begin to know the joy of the Lord.