“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 ESV
Entering the third week of Advent, which begins Sunday the 14th, we find the theme to be that of JOY.
Joy (like hope and peace) is another word it is helpful to be clear about defining well… It isn’t the same thing as happiness, though many folks think they are synonyms.
Happiness is an emotion that depends on circumstances; joy is bigger than both emotion or circumstances. In fact there are places in Scripture that call us to have joy in our trials, because they are opportunities for our growth! (James 1:2-4)
True and lasting joy comes from relationship with Jesus. Incidentally, it is also only through relationship with Christ that we can begin to adopt a perspective that allows us to view trials as a cause for rejoicing. But even when you have a relationship with Christ, there can be a battle over your joy…
Our circumstances want to try to boss us around. Our emotions would rather complain than stand in joy when things aren’t like we want them to be… James 1:2 suggests that we don’t have to let that be the case.
One of the things I learned studying James 1:2 is about the power of choice we have in the face of circumstances we might think of as less than joyous. The Greek verb used in the opening phrase of James 1:2, “Consider it joy…” is hegeomai, which according to Blue Letter Bible, is a strengthened form of the verb “to lead.” It can be literally translated as “to command (with official authority).”
I find this fascinating — embedded in this verse is a sense of a powerful and authoritative choice. We can choose to look at trials as joy; we can, in a sense, command ourselves to have this point of view. Of course, our fleshly willpower can only take us so far down that path. For real joy — in ANY circumstance — we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit, which can only happen if we are surrendered to our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The angels came to announce the arrival of this great joy to the Shepherds all those years ago. The truth of their message has not changed. Jesus has arrived. God is with us. We can have joy.
Here are a few “joy themed” questions for you to consider this weekend:
- What causes you to rejoice this Christmas?
- What special memories do you have of rejoicing with fellow believers at Christmas?
- What are some “joy choices” you can make in your life?
Years ago, Michael Card released a song called Joy in the Journey. It isn’t a Christmas classic, but it features timeless truth. Give it a listen HERE.
May you experience joy today, regardless of how your circumstances are or how you feel. As the verse says, in the presence of God there is fullness of joy.
We are entering the final days of the Christmas shopping countdown, but it is not too late to order copies of Fully Known, Fully Loved: A 30-Day Journey of Your Identity in Christ as a Christmas gift for someone needing a little injection of joy for their quiet times with the Lord. Or consider getting copies of Return and Rest: A Study in Isaiah 30 to give for those who might be looking for a new Bible study to focus on in 2026. Both are available at Amazon.