Joy To The World

 

 

 It is Christmas time. I sing “Joy to the World” but I don’t feel it. If anything I feel discouraged, resentful that my circumstances aren’t a little more conducive to the joy the rest of the world seems to be feeling. Perhaps you have felt this way too, physically or emotionally (or both), one brick short of the load marked happiness. My heart isn’t asking for much, just for one thing to change, or maybe two, maybe three...so I could sing “Joy to the World” with a little more joy in me. It is hard to be joyful when life is hard, or is it?

 

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you ,know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

                                                                                                                                             James 1:2,3,4 (ESV)

 

Joy. It must be possible or James would not have given this instruction. The early followers he was addressing were no strangers to adversity. Persecution had forced many of them from their homes, it had taken their loved ones. I don’t know persecution as they did, I only know the nuances of living in a fallen world- we get sick, we experience loss, things break, and just when all the ends start coming together somebody moves the ends.  Then again, joy is not a feeling, it is a choice. It is a choice to trust, to stay your mind on the love of God, His amazing, extravagant, limitless love.  This is the joy James spoke of, the joy the angels proclaimed on Christmas Eve over two thousand years ago when the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and said to them

 

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.” Luke 2:10 (ESV)

 

All people. Not just the healthy ones, the happy ones, the talented ones and the ones who have been handed life on a golden platter. Joy for all people. The sad ones, the seemingly forgotten ones, the ones who suffer and who hurt. Jesus came and He brought hope and a promise for all who believe and trust in HIm. A chance to be loved, adopted into the forever family of an Eternal Heavenly Father. That’s joy, regardless of my earthly circumstance and state of happiness. I hope you know happiness this Christmas, but more than that I hope you know joy.   Joy is not a feeling, it is a choice.  God has made His choice, His love for you and I was manifest the night He sent His Son down so many years ago.   May He give us the grace to choose this love, this joy- sent for all people.

 

"Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.”

                                                                                                Luke 2:10 (ESV)