Defining "Joy"
Ah, joy. Defined by the internet as "great pleasure, or happiness," this particular word has posed issues for me in the past; mainly, all the times I thought I had it within my grasp, only to realize soon after that I was wrong. Over and over this happened, until I finally opened my eyes to the cycle I was in, and eventually set out to discover and define Joy for myself. What exactly is it? How do I find it? Most importantly, is it constant? I will not pretend to be an expert on the subject; this is, after all, simply part of the journey God has me on. I am still learning and growing, and there are definitely others out there that have studied it more than I. However, if nothing else, the past few years have shown me more Joy then at any other point in my life. The past few years have also been some of the most sorrowful, painful, and difficult years of my life. It all goes together though, joy, and sorrow, and pain, and difficulties; hand-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand. My question for you all is simple enough: how do you define joy?
For most people, joy seems to be defined by an intense happiness, which oftentimes follows the sudden realization that they are actually quite content with their lives. I myself have experienced this multiple times, usually whenever I start a new job, or when I bought a new car, or moved into my current apartment. That happiness, however, is fleeting. Rarely does it stick around through all the ups and downs that inevitably show up: difficult coworkers and their drama, unexpected maintenance issues with your car, problems with your landlord, and trying to navigate through the muddy waters of compromise with your new roommate. Eventually, that happiness will fade, and at times it will be difficult to stay positive. Any of this sounding familiar?
What I believe a lot of people fail to realize is that joy is not the same thing as happiness. You can be happy about your life decisions, but still find joy to be lacking. Alternatively, you can be going through some of the toughest times in your life, but joy will still be in your grasp. I know that probably sounds strange to some of you, but no worries, I will try and sift through it all until it makes sense!
About two years or so ago, I found myself in a discussion with my mother about this very subject. I cannot remember how it came up exactly; all I know is that we were talking about my oldest brother, and all of the struggles he had been facing in his life. However, as my mother was quick to point out to me, despite all he was going through, with school and work, and just life in general, he still had Joy. She went on to say that no, he might not be happy about where his life was at that moment in time, but the Joy was still there because he knew that he was following God's plan for his life. She continued by explaining that struggling is just part of life; everyone goes through different seasons, whether it be one of waiting on the Lord, or reaping the reward for following His plan. No matter what season you are currently in, or what struggles you are facing, if you are following God's plan for your life then true Joy will be yours.
In "Surprised by Joy," C.S. Lewis describes his own struggle to find Joy and meaning in life; becoming at one point a self-proclaimed atheist, he did eventually find his way back to Christ, and therefore found true Joy. Although taken to church and taught "the basics" of the Christian faith as a child, his life took a turn away from God, the foundation of which he traces all the way back to his mother's death when he was just nine years old. During his adolescence he renounces God completely, eventually finding his way back around when he was thirty-two years old. His path back to the Lord was formed almost totally by reason and choice, and not as a way out of an emotional crisis. He CHOSE to go back because he learned that, though you might be going through hardships, when you have Jesus as your anchor, anything and everything is worth it. One hundred percent, totally worth it.
Hebrews 12:2 states the following:
"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
We can find Joy in any situation, because Jesus himself endured IT ALL, in order to receive the Joy that was waiting for Him at the end of it. And with Christ as our leader, there is no situation too dark that the light of God cannot penetrate; He brings Joy to any and every situation you could possibly imagine. By keeping your eyes on Jesus, you ensure that Joy will always be available to you. I constantly pray for the strength to keep my focus on Christ as the ultimate goal. By choosing Him daily, so many aspects of my life have changed, all of them for the better! I may not be fully content with this particular stage of my life, but I am fully trusting in God's plan for me. I am following His path as best I can, and am so grateful for this continuous wave of Joy that's been over me! I am so excited to see what the future holds for me, and I pray that you all experience the same.
I feel like I could talk on this subject forever; however, I feel like the basic principle has been covered. Never forget: God is Love, and if you trust in Him and His love, you will find true Joy.
For most people, joy seems to be defined by an intense happiness, which oftentimes follows the sudden realization that they are actually quite content with their lives. I myself have experienced this multiple times, usually whenever I start a new job, or when I bought a new car, or moved into my current apartment. That happiness, however, is fleeting. Rarely does it stick around through all the ups and downs that inevitably show up: difficult coworkers and their drama, unexpected maintenance issues with your car, problems with your landlord, and trying to navigate through the muddy waters of compromise with your new roommate. Eventually, that happiness will fade, and at times it will be difficult to stay positive. Any of this sounding familiar?
What I believe a lot of people fail to realize is that joy is not the same thing as happiness. You can be happy about your life decisions, but still find joy to be lacking. Alternatively, you can be going through some of the toughest times in your life, but joy will still be in your grasp. I know that probably sounds strange to some of you, but no worries, I will try and sift through it all until it makes sense!
About two years or so ago, I found myself in a discussion with my mother about this very subject. I cannot remember how it came up exactly; all I know is that we were talking about my oldest brother, and all of the struggles he had been facing in his life. However, as my mother was quick to point out to me, despite all he was going through, with school and work, and just life in general, he still had Joy. She went on to say that no, he might not be happy about where his life was at that moment in time, but the Joy was still there because he knew that he was following God's plan for his life. She continued by explaining that struggling is just part of life; everyone goes through different seasons, whether it be one of waiting on the Lord, or reaping the reward for following His plan. No matter what season you are currently in, or what struggles you are facing, if you are following God's plan for your life then true Joy will be yours.
In "Surprised by Joy," C.S. Lewis describes his own struggle to find Joy and meaning in life; becoming at one point a self-proclaimed atheist, he did eventually find his way back to Christ, and therefore found true Joy. Although taken to church and taught "the basics" of the Christian faith as a child, his life took a turn away from God, the foundation of which he traces all the way back to his mother's death when he was just nine years old. During his adolescence he renounces God completely, eventually finding his way back around when he was thirty-two years old. His path back to the Lord was formed almost totally by reason and choice, and not as a way out of an emotional crisis. He CHOSE to go back because he learned that, though you might be going through hardships, when you have Jesus as your anchor, anything and everything is worth it. One hundred percent, totally worth it.
Hebrews 12:2 states the following:
"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
We can find Joy in any situation, because Jesus himself endured IT ALL, in order to receive the Joy that was waiting for Him at the end of it. And with Christ as our leader, there is no situation too dark that the light of God cannot penetrate; He brings Joy to any and every situation you could possibly imagine. By keeping your eyes on Jesus, you ensure that Joy will always be available to you. I constantly pray for the strength to keep my focus on Christ as the ultimate goal. By choosing Him daily, so many aspects of my life have changed, all of them for the better! I may not be fully content with this particular stage of my life, but I am fully trusting in God's plan for me. I am following His path as best I can, and am so grateful for this continuous wave of Joy that's been over me! I am so excited to see what the future holds for me, and I pray that you all experience the same.
I feel like I could talk on this subject forever; however, I feel like the basic principle has been covered. Never forget: God is Love, and if you trust in Him and His love, you will find true Joy.
"I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for Joy."
-C.S. Lewis
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