Where in the World is My Joy?

Joy is Supposed to Mark Our Lives

Paul writes the book of Philippians to the church in Philippi that had watched a crazy time in his life.  The book of Acts 16:11 – 40 tells the story of one crazy night in Philippi.  There is a servant girl who some men who use her to make money with a bit of witch craft.  She follows Paul around and keeps proclaiming he is a man of God.  Paul gets tired of it and casts out a demon and she is cured.  The men get mad and have Paul arrested and beaten and put in jail.  That night in the jail Paul and Silas begin singing praise to God and an earthquake happens.  All the prison doors are opened and the jailor thinks he is done.  Paul stops him from killing himself and the jailor takes them home and his family decides to follow Jesus.  Paul is released a few days later and helps the church grow in Philippi.  Years later he writes this letter to remind them of the joy they can have in God.

Paul suffered a lot for following God.  These people watched him get arrested and beaten and yet he encourages them to find their joy in God.  I think he would say the same to us today.  In a world where the media works to squash our joy, we need to realize that joy is supposed to mark our lives as people of God.  There are three verses that I think we need to remember when it comes to finding joy in our lives.

Jesus wants us to have joy

 I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.                       John 15:11 (NCV)

Jesus faced so many things in his life.  So much pain and suffering.  He reached out and healed people, was attacked for doing it.  Yet, in all of that pain and suffering he lived a joyful life.  He wants us to have that same joy. 

Joy is supposed to mark our lives as followers of Jesus

 But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy… Galatians 5:22 (NCV)

God wants joy to be a part of our life.  When he lists what we should be known for he lists joy second only to love.  When the world does what it does to us and others God wants us to respond with joy.  Not the orchestra playing as the Titanic is going down sort of joy.  Instead it is a stay the course kind of joy that does not let what is going on around us makes us crash and burn.  It is the realization that my joy is not moment to moment, but a deep abiding joy and calm that sees us through every struggle.

David put it in a catchy tune for us to remember

 This is the day that the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad today!                                                                                                  Psalm 118:24 (NCV)

We can sing this song each day to remind ourselves that God gives us each day to live in joy.  I know that not every day lends itself to joy.  There are days that are tough, full of grief.  God wants us to live with the image of a better day that will be here soon.  Each day we live is a day to find joy even in a small moment in the midst of our struggle.  

Over the next several posts we are going to walk through Paul’s letter to the Philippians.  He gives them secrets to finding joy and living in a way that brings honor and joy to God himself.  Hope you stick with it and let’s find our joy that the world seems to want to take from us.