Everyone Is Looking For Joy
Everyone is looking for joy . Marketing companies know this . Every commercial promises the same product : joy . Want some joy ? Buy our hand cream . Want some joy ? Sleep on this mattress . Want some joy ? Eat at this restaurant , drive this car , wear this dress . Every commercial portrays the image of a joy-filled person . Even Preparation H . Before using the product , the guy frowns and squirms in his chair . Afterwards , he is the image of joy .
Joy . Everyone wants it . Everyone promises it . But can anyone deliver it ? It might surprise you to know that joy is a big topic in the Bible . Simply put : God wants his children to be joy-filled . Just like a father wants his baby to laugh with glee , God longs for us to experience a deep-seated , deeply rooted joy .
The joy offered by God joy is different than the one promised at the car dealership or shopping mall . God is not interested in putting a temporary smile on your face . He wants to deposit a resilient hope in your heart . He has no interest in giving you a shallow happiness that melts in the heat of adversity . But he does offer you a joy : a deep-seated , heart-felt , honest-to-goodness , ballistic strong sense of joy that can weather the most difficult of storms . Peter referred to this joy in the opening words of his epistle . “ Though you have not seen him , you love him ; and even though you do not see him now , you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy , for you are receiving the end result of your faith , the salvation of your souls ” ( I Peter 1:8-9 ).
Who was Peter addressing when he spoke of unspeakable joy ? He was speaking “ To God ’ s chosen people who are away from their homes and are scattered all around the countries of Pontus , Galatia , Cappadocia , Asia , and Bithynia ” ( I Pet . 1:1 ). Peter was speaking to persecuted Christians – people who had been driven from their cities , separated from their families . Their rights had been taken . Their property had been taken . Their possessions had been taken . Their futures had been taken , but their joy had not been taken . Why ? Go back to Peter ’ s Epistle again- this time in another translation : “ You have never seen Jesus and you don ’ t see him now . But still you love him and have faith in him ” ( I Pet . 1:8 ). The source of their joy ? Jesus ! And since no one could take their Jesus , no one could take their joy .
What about you ? What has been taken from you ? Your health ? Your house ? Have you buried a dream ? Have you buried a marriage ? Buried a friend ? As you look at these burial plots of life , is your joy buried there , too ?
If so , you may have substituted courageous joy for contingent
joy . Contingent joy is always dependent upon a circumstance . Contingent joy says I ’ ll be happen when … or … I ’ ll be happy if . I ’ ll be happy when I have a new house or a new spouse . I ’ ll be happy when I ’ m healed or when I ’ m home . Contingent joy depends upon the right circumstance . Since we cannot control every circumstance , we set ourselves up for disappointment .
Envision the person who buys into the lie of contingent joy . As a young person they assume , if I get a car , I ’ ll be happy . They get the car , but the car wears out . They look for joy elsewhere . If I get married , I ’ ll be happy . So they get married , then disappointed . The spouse cannot deliver . This goes on through a series of attempts . If I get the new job … if I can retire … If we just had a baby . In each case , joy comes , then diminishes .
By the time this person reaches old age , he has ridden a roller coaster of hope and disappointment . He becomes sour and fearful . Contingent joy turns us into wounded people .
Courageous joy , however , turns us into strong people . Courageous joy sets the hope of the heart on Jesus and Jesus alone . Since no one can take your Christ , no one can take your joy .
Think about it . Can death take your joy ? No , because Jesus is greater than death .
Can failure take your joy ? No , because Jesus is greater than your sin .
Can betrayal take your joy ? No , because Jesus will never leave you .
Can sickness take your joy ? No , because God has promised – whether on this side of the grave or the other – to heal you .
Can disappointment take your joy ? No , because though your plan may not work out , you know God ’ s plan will .
Death , failure , betrayal , sickness , disappointment . They cannot take your joy , because they cannot take your Jesus . And Jesus promised , “ No one will take away your joy ” ( Jn . 16:22 ).
Is that to say your life will be storm-free ? Is that to say no sorrows will come your way ? No . “ In this world you will have tribulation , but be of good cheer , I have overcome the world ” ( Jn .
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