The search for joy

^” But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control …” Galatians 5:22-23 (TLB)

One of my “bad” habits is listening to conversations while standing in line at the grocery, bank, etc. I don’t consider it eavesdropping because if the volume level is that which even an old hearing-impaired codger like me can hear surely they must not concerned with the privacy of their conversations. Surprisingly, most of the messages” I hear are complaints – about prices, their health, other people, their thoughtless or wayward children. The list could go on and on but suffice it to say they do not reflect much joy in their lives. Maybe these chats reflect they are having a bad day but with the regularity that I hear these laments it seems to indicate that joyfulness is missing in their lives.

Maybe the fable told by the Vietnamese philosopher, Thich Nhat Hanh, provides some insight to their thinking. He tells of a man who woke up at night with a severe toothache. Unable to get any medical attention until morning, the man observed that he would be in paradise if he could just be rid of the toothache. As he said it, he did not realize that in the other 364 days of the year that he didn’t have a toothache, so he must have been in paradise and didn’t know it! Is his thinking reflected in the idle chatter that I overhear? Are they so focused on present –day cares rather than reflecting on previous pleasant experiences?

An interesting study reveals that pessimists often believe that any bad event is their fault, will last a long time, and undermine everything. They also feel cheated because they feel that they have not been rewarded with the happiness the hard work and long hours were supposed to bring them. Consequently, they feel helpless and frequently slip into depression, which is becoming common condition nowadays. Optimists, on the other hand, believe that any defeat is only a temporary setback and a challenge to overcome!

What makes the difference? Perhaps they need to become aware that happiness or unhappiness is the result of circumstances, but joy is a confidence built on a relationship. Joy is a gift from God to those who believe the Holy Spirit is producing the gospel of Christ in them. Their joy results from experiencing His help while undergoing trials and keeping their hope fixed on a solution in accordance with His will. The brief and inspiring Book of Philippians relates the joy that the Apostle Paul felt despite harrowing circumstances. Paul’s words indicate that joy was present even while he was sitting in a prison waiting for possible news of his execution. Circumstances were not a factor; it was Paul’s reliance on the Holy Spirit and depending on His presence and strength that gave him joy.

If joy is so readily available through the Holy Spirit, why do so many Christians seem so glum? One answer is that they often feel joy or happiness is tied to some future goal: “I’ll be happy when I find the right person with whom to share my life” or “When I get my finances in order” or “When I retire”. Relying on some future event to bring satisfaction misses the point. Invariability when one goal is met, it is replaced by another. Consequently, the process goes on and on and possible joy or happiness is constantly elusive.

I believe that few believers actually know the pure joy that is available through the Holy Spirit. Their lack of joy is demonstrated in two ways: their negative thoughts toward others and their failure to appreciate the value of prayer both for themselves and others. They tend to be self-centered. They are selfish and when someone offends them intentionally or not, they hold a grudge. This lack of concern for others is evidence of the lack of joy available through the Spirit. They lack His gift of love and therefore are unable to appreciate the needs of others or identify with their plight.

A true Christian’s joyful outlook on life is not a fantasy or blue-sky optimism, but realism. It has a solid scriptural foundation. It can exist when dark clouds block out the sun, for it does not depend on changeable weather, nor on here-today-and-gone- tomorrow success. It does not rest only on the actions of human beings but on the presence of our Lord, who not only promised that “He would be us always” but also “I will send you a Helper, the Spirit of Truth”. When we feel depressed, it means we are struggling with a problem or situation with our own power. Once we turn our burdens over to the Lord and leave them there, we will begin to experience true joy.

I believe that the secret of joy is in expressing love in such a way that our own happiness does not matter and our reward will be true and everlasting joy. Every joy in life always points beyond itself to our main task of developing His Kingdom here on earth. The only thought we need to keep in mind is that “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace …” and it is available to each and every believer. Amen