Cultivate Joyናሙና

If joy is a fruit to be cultivated, what are the barriers that keep it from growing? What dangers should we be on the lookout for?

Interestingly, the threats to joy are much the same as the growth stoppers that Jesus warns about in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. In this parable, Jesus talks about four types of soil: three kinds that will stunt our spiritual growth, and one that will foster it. The first three are characterized by hard, packed dirt (hard-heartedness), shallow soil (lack of perseverance), and thorns (worries and distractions). If we allow ourselves to personify any of these examples, we will find joy hard to come by.

But the fourth type of soil – the good soil – promises to yield a rich harvest of fruit in our lives. One can only imagine that this fruit is very similar to the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 – and joy is at the top of that list.

How do we avoid the pitfalls mentioned in this parable? Keep a soft heart by being open to the things of God. Don’t just take God’s word at face value, but dig deep into it so that when trials come your way, your faith won’t be easily uprooted. And be sure to pay close attention to that word, and don’t allow the thorns of this world to draw your heart and mind away from it. And above all, hear God’s word with an ear toward understanding it – and responding. In the end, our response to His word is what makes all the difference.

A Prayer for Joy

Lord, help me cultivate a heart of faith that allows joy to spring up bountifully. Keep me from hard-heartedness, and deepen my faith so that it can withstand the trials of this life. Guard my heart against being pricked by the thorny desires for earthly things. And make my heart a garden that is ready to receive your word and produce a joy-filled harvest that can endure all the elements of this world. Amen.