The Reclamation of Joy
The Reclamation of Joy
If you’ve been following along or listening to my podcast then you know that the pursuit of joy is really important to me. After a prolonged season that felt joyless I am determined not to be in the same place for another year.
That starts with the recognition that joy can’t be tied to people or things. It can’t be tied to the weather or life circumstances. Joy has to come from somewhere deeper. I know this, most of us do, but putting that knowledge into practice can often be difficult. Charlie Dates over at Progressive Baptist has been going through a series on this very subject, I encourage you to give it a listen.
If you feel like you’ve lost joy, for whatever the reason, the good news is that it can be restored. It’s not about who we are but whose we are that allows for healing, restoration, and joy to be returned to us at any time. It doesn’t matter if you’re battling sin, addiction, break ups, job loss, health problems, or just in a plain ol’ spiritual rut, joy can be restored.
Joy Restored
Here are three ways to experience the restoration of joy.
Cast your cares. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. -1 Peter 5:6-7
We have to release our burdens to God instead of trying to hold on to them. There’s a recognition there that in so many aspects of our lives we are powerless. Although we may be powerless, our God is not. There’s a line from a documentary about minimalism that has always stuck with me: there’s a level of worry that is unproductive.
When we cast our cares on the God who cares for us, we are choosing to release that burden off of our shoulders in exchange for the peace he provides.
Look ahead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not[b] consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.-Philippians 3:12-14
This isn’t a call to be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good. Instead it is a reminder that what we face today is not all of life. As believers, we live deep in the promise that what is to come is far more glorious than we could possibly imagine and these light momentary afflictions pale in comparison.
So we live today in light of what we know to be true about tomorrow. That should inspire a renewed sense of vigor to face the mess that comes with life.
Care for others. But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— 26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me. -Philippians 2:25-30
We get so caught up in ourselves we fail to recognize that God has called us to serve and be a light to others. We don't know much about Epaphroditus but we do know that near death, his mind was on loving the Philippian church. I think we all know how incredibly difficult that is.
I spent so much of the last year so focused on me and my plights that I often failed to see the needs and hurt of those around me. That’s no way to live. One avenue for joy is found in selflessness. It’s in love and service to others that we find joy. You know the old cliche, it is better to give than receive.
Pursue Joy
As we go through another frigid Winter week, I want us to think about how we can pursue joy.
Journal: Gratitude journals are a big deal in the self-help space but Christians have been recounting the goodness of God in written form for centuries. So take some time this week to write down the myriad of things you have to be thankful for.
Serve Others: Go out of your way to love and serve others this week. Experience the joy that can come from caring for others.
Do something silly: For real. Just do it. Sometimes you need to do the random things that make you smile and feel like a kid again. I like to dance in the mirror and freestyle sometimes.
We are going to be joyous people this year because God has given us the gift of eternal life through his Son and no matter what life throws at us (no matter how hard it may be), it can’t beat that.