Elusive Joy
When my kids were younger, they were involved in theatre at their school. The planning and preparation for a show is laborious and intense. The show is climactically performed over a single weekend and then it is done. Months of preparation and then there is nothing. The letdown after a show is physical, emotional, and mental. I remember asking their theatre director, “How do you do this over and over again?” I just wasn’t sure the excitement was worth the letdown.
Commercialized Christmas is similar in feel. There is planning, preparation, hustle, and bustle and then after one day, it is over. Some people call the time after Christmas the holiday blues. We visited family, enjoyed meals together, unwrapped gifts, had good conversation…and then nothing. For some of us, holidays are difficult because family members are missing, relationships are broken, finances are difficult, health is compromised and we are suffering from what should have been or what could have been.
For me, musicals and commercialized Christmas are perfect examples of me seeking and finding joy in my daily activities. This type of joy can also be found in a birthday party, wedding, moving, retiring, starting a new job, having a baby, traveling, finishing a semester, getting a good medical report, or being accepted into a school. All amazing and life-changing events, but not necessarily sustainable sources of joy. When we ride this type of joy-wagon, it feels more like a rollercoaster than a steady supply of peace and joy. It is a finite supply of joy, unlike the infinite joy Paul talks about in Philippians 4:4.
Philippians 4:4 reads
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!
I love how Paul repeats himself. It is like he is saying, “Did you hear me? I mean it.” He knows this is important enough to repeat. He is addressing the elusive joy here on earth. Always and again are quite powerful words. Paul writes that we should always find our joy in the Lord. Not sometimes, or just when things are easy and going our way, or when we have obvious joyful experiences here on earth…but always. God’s infinite supply of joy is always available to us. In the hard times, in the bad times, and even in the sad times.
My favorite line in the song Prophesy Your Promise by Jesus Culture is, “You set a table in the middle of my war.” Wow, what a visual! Sometimes my day-to-day life can feel like a war. Sometimes I can have multiple wars going on at once. And then I envision Jesus walking into the middle of my problem and quietly and gently setting a table for us to dine together. A table where I can sit and find joy, peace, love, rest, protection, and restoration. I believe Jesus sets a table in the middle of every war we are battling. It is our responsibility to notice the table, choose to sit at the table and accept the joy He provides. It doesn’t end the war or lessen the pain or take away the problem. It is better than that. His joy is hope, peace, and a refuge in a situation where there is none. Imagine being able to receive that. We all can. God’s joy is consistently available to us through everything. Again, I will say, God’s joy is consistently and always available to us.
Joy isn’t just for people who have easy lives, no problems, and perfect situations. Joy is for all of us. Jesus is for all of us.
So, as we sit in the middle of our holiday blues or whatever hard thing that is draining our joy, let’s lift our heads up and look for Jesus setting a table for us, because I promise you He is. Let’s make the choice to go sit at that table and experience the joy that is always available to us, no matter our situation.
God, thank you for your infinite supply of joy. We understand that joy isn’t a replacement for our troubles, rather a refuge in the midst of our troubles founded in your steady presence. You promise us access to sustainable, not temporary joy even in our darkest moments, and in that we find satisfaction and fulfillment. Thank you. Thank you for your word and for bringing it to life, even in the middle of our wars.