Joy reaches far past our circumstances
and reminds us we were created for eternity.
I’ve been thinking a lot about those women in my life who are currently walking through deep waters. Cancer. Loss. Silent pain. During the Christmas season, it always seems to hit harder than the other eleven months of the year. December is a time when loved ones gather. A time when parties are planned and carols are sung. A time when trees are decorated and presents are shared.
So is it even possible to celebrate the season when suffering is deep?
Joy is actually a theme throughout both the Old and New Testaments. In Isaiah, the prophet was sent to encourage the Israelites at a time of disappointment and despair. Life under Babylonian exile had been harsh yet Isaiah’s words brought healing, comfort and hope. God would restore these difficult years with His redemptive work.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me . . . to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:1,3
Beauty. Gladness. Praise. God offered these to a people facing sorrow, grief and brokenness.
For those experiencing suffering – lying in a hospital bed, navigating a failed marriage, grieving the loss of a loved one and on and on – it can seem impossible to find joy. It can seem too hard, too far from reach, even too much for God to ask. The misconception we have with joy is that it means we never lament, ask questions or shed tears. On the contrary. God longs for us to call on Him with our cries of anguish, confusion and fear. Yet when we understand the truths of who He is and the promises He gives, sorrow can mingle with joy. Tears and doubts can be transformed into trust and rest.
In Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis writes, “All joy reminds. It is never a possession, but always a desire for something longer ago or further away or still ‘about to be'”.
As long as we have control, we are okay. Then, the moment control is threatened, it’s so easy to succumb to our pain. We may try to fill the emptiness in our hearts with relationships, pursuits or things. But scripture tells us that only God can satisfy our longings. In the midst of even dire circumstances, joy can persist when we hope in Him. It’s not merely an emotion, but a profound choice to look beyond the pain of our circumstances and believe in God’s goodness for today and forever.
We can experience true joy when we trust and rest in a loving God, no matter what. That’s because the joy we read about in the Bible reaches far past our circumstances and tells us we were created for eternity. Jesus Himself was the example of perfect joy, looking beyond the physical, emotional and spiritual pain of the cross as He fulfilled God’s redemptive plan for mankind and was gloriously exalted with the Father (Hebrews 12:1-2).
As each day moves closer to December 25th, I earnestly pray for my friends. I pray for healing. I pray for comfort. I pray for relief. I pray for joy amid their suffering because they experience the Saviour who came to make everything new again.
Are you struggling today?
If we have faith in what we cannot see, we will believe that God has purposes far beyond what our minds can comprehend. Beauty from ashes, gladness from mourning, and praise from despair can be ours for the taking.
And therein lies the key to having a joy-filled heart, not only at Christmas but all year long.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11
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